Captain Stoppable's Revenge
by FatManDan
Summary: Adventure, broken hearts, romance and vengeance in the inter-war years. Characters and setting are a bit more grim than in original cartoon.  Rated M for violence and future erotic situations.
1. Chapter 1

This is what happens when I listen to the soundtrack of _Das Boot_ on repteat for 8 hours straight while reading KP-fanfics.

I do not own Kim Possible or related characters. All are copyright of Disney and/or respective owners as relevant.

**Background:**

The year is 1921, The Great War is over but for some peace has yet to come.

A desperate crew under a captain out for revenge prowl the seven seas.

Captain Ron Stoppable and the eccentric crew of the submarine _Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ and assorted allies and friends across the world fight for freedom, wealth, adventure and vengeance.

But is Kim Possible really gone? Are all friends true of heart? Are all enemies what they seem?

Time alone will tell.

**Author's Notes**:

It is written in a darker tone than in the original Kim Possible cartoons and some of the characters, groups et.c have been altered slightly to fit the setting and the general plot.

Hopefully not so much as to become unrecognisable to the reader.

English isn't my first language so if you notice errors in grammar or syntax, please let me know.

It will be rated rather higher on suitability for future events of violence and implied erotic situations. I will endeavour to keep such things as non-graphic as possible.

Reviews are of course welcome.

** Part One:**

The moment the conning tower of_ Kimberley Ann's Revenge_ broke the surface the hatch swung open.

Captain Ron Stoppable climbed out, grabbed the railing, slammed a pair of binoculars to eyes and scanned the horizon.

After a few moments the weather bitten and unshaven blonde man seemed sufficiently certain the waters of the _Tierra del Fuego_ were reasonably safe and shouted down the hatch:

"All clear! Open the hatches!"

Below deck commotion was heard as the motley crew on the pirate submarine set about their tasks.

Captain Stoppable's second in command joined him on the platform.

"Ah, Mr. Renton" Ron said as if they hadn't spent weeks and weeks in the cramped confines of the sub but rather just met for the first time in a few days.

"Good to be topside again, eh what, Captain?" the British ex-airman quipped.

He'd climbed up the ladder faster with his prosthetics than most men with real legs.

Unlike his Captain, Lt. Renton, formerly of the RFC, took pride in maintaining a clean-shaven and gentlemanly exterior. He could afford caring about such things as opposed to his driven and haunted superior officer.

"You know, Felix, sometimes, here out at sea in the middle of nowhere..." Ron began but fell silent in mid-sentence.

Felix Renton nodded quietly. He knew what his captain had meant.

He had felt the same back a few times in the war when he still flew with 266th and still had his legs. Those precious moments of vast expanses and solitude in the air were something that could not be explained. Only experienced.

"_Herr Kapitän!_"

The silent musings of the two officers were interrupted by Chief Gunner Dementz who'd been fiddling with the massive 105mm cannon on the foredeck.

"Yes, Dementz? What is it?"

"Ze new _ziel rohr_...how you say, the sight. _Es ist_ fitted. Ve vill be hunting good,_ Ja_?" The stout German laughed loudly. Although his thick Schleswig-Holstein accent made him difficult to understand he was a veteran submariner and a genius with ordnance.

"Excellent, Dementz! Remind me to buy you a round when we reach port next time!" Ron shouted back with a fierce grin.

He was always happy when the devastating power of his beloved submarine was improved.

Dementz' skill with the cannon and it's shells only matched by that of the two polish anarchists cousins in their respective fields.

Edward and Andreas (Andrew to his English-speaking fellow pirates) Lipsky had decided to exile themselves from the crumbling Russian empire and found the fledgling Polish republic too orderly for their wild tastes.

Neither of them had been hard pressed to sail under the black flag of piracy.

After all here they were not just free but actively encouraged to put their brilliant if erratic talents as chief engineer and master of torpedoes respectively to their fullest use.

Where conventional navies and science academies shied away from their designs in cautious fear the wild flame of revenge burning in Captain Stoppable's heart had made him abandon all fears and to him caution was only a means to an end.

Ron turned back to his second in command and friend.

"What do you think of the new kid?"

"He's a brazen chap, all right. Stowaway on a pirate sub no less."

"Let's put him to the test."

"Aye Captain."

They climbed back down into the dank darkness of the submarine that was now dashing happily through the waves of the northern Antarctic at full speed.

Ron pushed the bulkhead to the engine room partially shut, not so much to drown out the thunder of the powerful engine as the incessant off-key singing of Edward Lipsky.

"He's a happy bugger, isn't he?" Felix laughed.

"Why shouldn't he be? The engine is running at full power and we're getting fresh air."

They made their way to the cramped space where a dark skinned lad in his early teens sat before the wireless telegraph sharing space with the radio.

"Well, then Load, you said you could actually be to some use of us alive?" Ron said, adding a certain menace to his tone to test the mettle of the American stowaway. "Think you can prove that, kid?"

"Call me Wade, Sir."

"You will address the Captain by his proper title!" Felix snarled. He enjoyed playing the role as a harsh and villainous man for a laugh. "You'll better learn that in a hurry or you'll be shark food before sunset!"

Wade Load swallowed nervously.

"Sorry, Captain Stoppable."

"That's better." Felix growled and winked at Ron.

"Now, Wade, show me what you can do. There are the tables." He pointed to a binder shoved under the telegraph. "The antenna is up. All you need to do is to get in touch with our supply ship and get some news for us."

Felix started.

"Er, Captain... isn't that a bit much?" he said, knowing full well that the Amy Hall under the renegade British commodore Lord Fiske was quite a long way to the north, off the coast of Chile and with the weather and the distance it was difficult even for an experienced radio operator to make any reliable contact, much less so for a fourteen year old stowaway from New Orleans.

"Not at all Mr. Renton. If Wade is as good as he promises he'll manage quite..."

Captain Stoppable grew silent in a hurry as he stared in amazement, alongside Renton, RFC (Ret.).

The American boy was well under way sending telegraphic messages at a furious pace all the while writing down the replies with his free hand without even looking at the text.

"Annnd...Done! Here you go, Captain!"

With a proud grin he handed the paper over to Ron.

"I say..." Felix actually raised an eyebrow.

"Looks like you passed the test Mister Load. Welcome aboard."

The boy almost preened when the Captain addressed him with the adult honorific.

When both Felix and Ron shook his hand and smiled Wade knew he'd made the right, if hasty, choice to sneak onto the sub just before it sneaked out of New Orleans.

He also knew that all those hours playing at his uncle's feet at the telegraph station had come to serve him well today.

As Felix and Ron walked off to talk in privacy.

"The kid's.." Ron interrupted himself. Anyone who worked like a man was to be treated as a man. That was the principle on his ship. "The man's a natural."

"Quite so, Captain. Quite so. Now, if I may query, what's the word from our Lordly friend up north?"

Ron spent a few minutes reading through the message before shouting out:

"All hands on deck! We have work to do!"

In scant moments the crew had gathered around the deck gun.

"We have word from the Amy Hall! Two convoys! One WWEE from Santiago de Chile bound for Tokyo. Four ships with copper ore! The other is Global Justice, coming through Panama. Three ships, arms for the Whites in Siberia!"

"Which convoy do ve hit, _Herr Kapitän_?" Dementz asked, his eyes afire with hunger for the hunt.

"Well that's the problem, isn't it? Sinking the WWEE convoy will rob them of considerable amounts of cash as well as cause the Japanese arms industry some headache but on the other hand if we hit the GJ convoy we can stock up on weapons and munitions and sell what we don't need on the black market."

"Captain, I can seriously interrupt!" Edward Lipsky called out. 'Seriously' being the first word he'd learned in English he tended to overuse it.

"Yes, Engineer Lipsky?"

The hulking blonde man brushed his blonde mane back with a ham sized hand.

"My new, seriously better, engine modifications can take us to both convoys in time. Of this I am serious! With much velocity and using seriously less fuel! Also, my cousin has new serious warheads!"

"Dr. Lipsky?" Ron turned to the Polish scientist and blinked. The Pole's reckless experimentations with all manner of strange chemicals was beginning to affect his already pale complexion, turning it oddly bluish.

The man in question straightened up from his slouch. Unlike his cousin his hair was black as anthracite coal but kept almost but not quite equally long in anarchic defiance of convention.

"My new torpedo warheads have improved capability. Less payload, same effect. Calibrate the torpedo engines and the less weight give us great range. With Dementz new sights this is what we need to spread anarchy on the seas, _nie_?"

Felix leaned closer to his Captain.

"By Jove, if these Polish blokes know what they're talking about we could actually do it."

"Seriously we know!" Edward Lipsky shouted, seemingly offended at the sheer audacity of Felix to even question the skills of the Poles.

The crew looked to their captain who's turned his thoughts inwards, thinking deeply.

To hit both WWEE and GJ right where it hurts in shorter time than ever before.

He imagined the furious frustration of both Mr. Gemini and that cold-hearted vixen, Betty Director as ships and goods to the value hundreds of thousands of Pounds Sterling were sent to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, all at the hands of Ron Stoppable.

It was nowhere near enough to pay them back for his loss and the losses of others but it was a start and there would be more.

"To your stations!" he shouted, startling his crew. "We hit both convoys!"

The Lipskys slapped their hands in a bizarre Jazz-gesture known as a high five which was appatently the latest fashion.

"Jawohl, _Herr Kapitän_!" roared Dementz in savage delight at the prospect to once again prowl the waterways of the world.

"Mr. Renton! Set a course due north!"

"My pleasure, Captain!"

_Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ tore northwards, slashing through the waves like a sword of retribution aimed at the heart of the offender.

The hunt was on.


	2. Chapter 2

**The First Convoy**

Felix Renton scanned the horizon through his binoculars, this way and that.

On the gun deck, in front of the conning tower, Dementz was busy tending the main gun but the short German would take a break every now and then, searching for signs of the WWEE convoy.

Just like Felix he was smitten by the hunting fever, only more so. They were both veterans from the Great War where Felix had been a hunter in the skies above Flanders and France and Dementz had prowled below the surface of the north Atlantic.

Now they were pirates, renegades and once again hunters but this time in the south Pacific.

There! Smoke on the horizon!

"One, two, three...come on! Come on! Where are you?" he muttered between clenched teeth.

Felix spotted the fourth column of smoke at the same moment as Dementz did and they both shouted out their delight.

"There!"

"_Dort_!"

Felix bent and called down the hatch.

"Mister Load! Wake the Captain up, would you? We've spotted the convoy!"

Wade Load had been studying tables, diagrams and adjusting the complex and sensitive radio and telegraph equipment that had become his domain.

The call from above startled him but he got to his feet right away, waved down the hall to Andreas Lipsky who was tending the engine while his cousin slept.

The Polish anarchist nodded and went to rouse his relative.

Making his way to Captain Stoppable minute cabin (in fact the only proper cabin on board) he knocked on the narrow door.

"Captain?" the youngster called. "Captain? We've sighted the convoy!"

Scant moments later Ronald Stoppable emerged, still in the process of buttoning his shirt.

"Mr. Load, prepare to transmit a distress call for the convoy to the Chilean navy, at my command." he said, leaving a confused Wade behind as he pushed past and climbed up to the observation platform.

"Talk to me, Felix."

"Four stacks, just as Lord Fiske reported. Heading West by North West. At this speed we'll catch up with them just before sunset."

"Beautiful! Just beautiful!"

As the sun set over the Pacific the crew gathered in the hold. Only Ron stayed on the platform, watching the destructive spectacle of burning, sinking ships with vengeful delight.

Felix Renton cast a concerned glance at the man he'd come to love as a brother, a man he would follow to the ends of the earth if necessary.

Shaking his head the British ex-airman joined the others as they celebrated their victory.

Wade had been given a large glass of rum and had managed to drink at least some of it without coughing or retching.

It had been his first engagement and that was another cause to break out the strong stuff in celebration.

"Congratulations, young man!" Dementz laughed and slapped Wade on the back.

"Most seriously! Your baptism of fire this was!" Edward Lipsky roared merrily and downed his own glass of rum like it'd been water.

Laughter and merriment continued for a while as the older men shared anecdotes and stories from their own battles under the Skull and Crossbones.

"You know, I there is one thing I don't understand." Wade said, his voice slightly slurred as the teenager was not used to alcohol of any kind, much less the brutal impact of Jamaican rum.

"What is that, my radio-electric friend?" Dr. Lipsky said with a merry grin plastered over his face, already flushed from drink.

"Why did the Captain tell me to telegraph the Chilean navy to come rescue the sailors? I thought they were our enemies?"

"Sailors, just like us. _Nicht feinde!_" Dementz snapped. "Not enemies."

The otherwise jolly if loud German had grown quite pale and pain was evident in his eyes.

"Alvays give ze other sailors a chance of getting into ze life boats. Ozervise it is murder. Unless they are from ze _Seestreitkräfte_."

"The navy." Felix explained to Wade who didn't understand German at all.

"I think I have had enough to drink for zis night." Dementz suddenly said, got up and wandered to his bunk with a strange, dejected look on his face.

"Seriously, you should maybe not have brought such a serious subject up, Mr. Load?" Edward said, looking grim.

Wade was suddenly acutely aware of the tense atmosphere around the little table.

"But...what did I say?"

Felix sighed.

"Wade, if I may call you that?"

"Please do."

"Wade, you see during the Great War Mr. Dementz served during the Unrestricted Submarine Warfare period." Felix sat silent for a few moments as if that had explained everything.

When he noticed that Wade didn't understand he went on.

"There are some things a man does in his life that he cannot reconcile himself with. Please do not ask me to explain any further."

The British man downed his own glass of rum and lapsed into silence as his own demons came back to haunt him.

"Worry not, my friend." Dr. Lipsky said with strained and morbid cheer. "One day you too will have your own regrets and evil memories."

Wade nodded quietly. He understood the concept of evil memories only too well as his thoughts drifted back to Lousiana, burning crosses and a noose hanging from a tree, waiting for a victim.

"Maybe I should get some sleep as well."

Night had fallen and Ron climbed down into the hold.

He spotted Felix and the Lispkys sitting by the small table, drinking and talking softly among themselves.

"Pour me one, will you, Andrew?"

The blue-skinned engineer yawned an "Aye Captain. Also, my name is Andreas. Not Andrew." and handed Ron a glass of rum.

"Go get some sleep, guys. I'll take night shift. Felix, you're in charge tomorrow. Andreas, can you handle the engines well enough?"

"Yes I can Captain, but why not Edward? He is the engineer while I am a scientist." The Pole objected and nodded towards his blonde cousin.

"Stop your moaning. Edward will have the honour of staying awake all night to tend the engine." Ron gave the somewhat inebriated engineer a glance. "If you're up for the task, that is?"

The man in question grinned.

"I, Edward Lipsky, am like a motor. Keep me with fuel and I just keep chugging along. I seriously am!"

"Hah, OK! The only fuel you'll drink tonight is coffee. You got that, 'Ed the Motor'?"

"Consider it seriously gotten, Captain!"

Night passed as Kimberly Anne's Revenge sped northwards. Travelling surfaced was faster and allowed for better ventilation on board. It also made it possible for Edward's magnificent diesel engine to run on full power.

"One of these days someone will have to invent something to bring air to the engines while submerged." Edward muttered himself. The batteries for submerged running only lasted so long. He'd have to talk to Andreas about that.

Captain Ron Stoppable was alone with his thoughts at the controls.

_"Three years since the War ended. Three years of revenge. Four years since The Betrayal. Four years without Kimberly. Am I mad? Are we all mad?"_

_"A stolen German submarine, a crew of outcasts and renegades. The flotsam and jetsam of the Great War. What a fine band we are. Are we just lunatics digging our own graves for our personal, hollow causes?"_

For a moment he felt bitter and so very tired.

Only for a moment.

He took a deep breath.

No. He would not lose focus. Justice was never a hollow cause and WWEE and the so-called Global Justice would learn the hard way. Although they were deadly enemies the two organizations and their respective leaders had conspired to betray Kim and Ron.

_"We didn't even know why it happened." _Ron thought. _"How could we have known? We were so young. So happy."_ That happiness and that romantic innocence had died in a single night of smoke, fire and confusion.

Ron had made it out.

Kimberly hadn't.

_"We are not mad. I am not mad. Justice will be served. Kim will have her revenge. That much I owe her and myself."_

With renewed determination Ronald Stoppable, formerly of the US Navy, presently a pirate and a wanted man guided his ship through the pacific darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Second Convoy**

Three more days and nights came and went.

They had yet to make contact with the Global Justice convoy and there was a rising concern that the Kimberly Ann's Revenge had had missed her prey after all.

Ron Stoppable and his crew were in the midst of supper when the telegraph clicked for attention.

Without a moment's hesitation Wade interrupted his meal and clambered down the hatch to his position.

The fourteen year-old had in a short time proven himself a capable and dedicated communications officer and took great pride in his skill.

The others had stopped eating and waited, more hungry for news than food now.

Moments passed.

"Message from the Amy Hall, Captain!" Wade called as he returned from below deck.

"Let's hear it." Ron said, trying to keep his impatience in check.

"The GJ convoy has turned north, moving up along the central American coast."

"Hunh. Seems GJ got wind of our Chilean strike. What's their last recorded position?"

"Just off the coast of Costa Rica. Here's the exact position, Captain."

Ron and Felix went below to study maps and charts. The crew was left to finish their meal.

"Seems we have them spooked, Ron, old boy." Felix Renton chuckled.

"I hope to God we have. That means they've begun to fear us." the blonde man next to him replied. "I'm guessing they want to stick close to the coast line and hope to get some escort from the Mexican Navy before they turn westwards to Asia."

"Why not the US navy?"

Ron shrugged.

"GJ are delivering the arms, not the US government. My former friends are just as likely to confiscate the cargo as let the convoy go about its business. I doubt the lovely Mrs. Director wants to risk that."

There was a brief silence as the two friends pondered their options.

Ron made up his mind.

"Edward!" he shouted up the hatch.

"Seriously, Captain!" came the anarchist's reply.

"Can your engine take us to Acapulco in four days?"

"Captain! I am hurt by you even asking! Seriously! I will have you there in three days!"

"Hop to it, Ed!"

"I want to talk to Load first and then send for Dr. Lipsky and Dementz, will you, Felix?"

"Jolly good, Captain."

As Wade relayed the new information to Lord Fiske's supply ship, Ron addressed his two ordnance officers.

"We're hitting a convoy of three but there's a risk of escorts so we need to go in prepared."

The Pole and the German nodded.

"Doctor.L, I need at least eight torpedoes. Three of the tubes prepped for surface launch and keep one for submerged launch in case we have to play it that way. No, wait. Cancel that. Two of each. How're the new warheads?"

"Hah! They are ready to be used, Captain! I have perfected Tesla's designs with my own genius!" the Polish scientist boasted.

"Don't let me down, Doctor. Dementz?"

_"Jawohl, Herr Kapitän!"_

"We need to capture at least one of these ships, preferably all three. We want to pick the cherries of the cargo, you know. You know what you have to do."

"No problem. Dementz is on ze job." The short man saluted smartly.

Ron rubbed his hands together and smirked.

"They think they've got game. I'll show them who's got game."

To attack a convoy without escort was a matter of routine. Or at least it should be.

Once the sub rose to the surface, Wade signalled the three Global Justice vessels to stop the engines and start evacuating the crews.

The Amy Hall was then signalled to close the distance and prepare to pick up at least parts of the plundered cargo.

Ron kept half an eye the procedure while Dementz prepared to sink the ships with the main gun after all was done.

A sudden thunderous explosion and a wave of water almost washing Dementz of the deck yanked Ron back to full alertness.

"Q-Ship!" Dement's shouted as he dragged himself to his feet.

Captain Stoppable wiped salt water out of his eyes and called down.

"Ed! Full speed ahead! Felix! Steady as she goes until I give the command, prepare to turn her fully to starboard!"

Felix's acknowledgement was drowned out by the roar of _Kimberly Anne's Revenge's_ powerful engine.

The 'Q-ship', a sub hunter disguised as a commercial vessel, was in the middle of the convoy. The captain was either a moron or very inexperienced.

He'd opened fire too soon and provided Ron with two dead angles of manoeuvre.

Taking his sub in front of the foremost of the cargo haulers provided Ron with the time Dementz needed to prepare for battle.

"Hard to Starboard! Dementz, fire at will!"

The hull of the sub creaked as she made the sharp turn at full speed.

On the deck of the Q-ship the gunners swung their 17-pounder around to try and draw a bead on _Kimberly Ann's Revenge_.

Dementz got his shot off first.

The shell from the sub's cannon impacted on the sub-hunter's gun and the detonation that followed sent gunners and scraps of metal flying.

"Straighten her up, Felix!" came Ron's shout from the conning tower and Felix Renton adjusted the controls with fluid elegance.

"Dementz! Give her one more!"

Here Ron and Dementz ducked down as a machine gunner at the prow of the Q-ship opened fire, a bullet even going through Ron's cap.

The German hunkered down behind his cannon and cursing loudly managed to shove another 105mm shell into the breech.

"I need a loader, damn it!" he called out in frustration. "I can't do it all myself!"

"Less talk, more shooting!" Ron shouted over the clangs and rattle of bullets impacting on the conning tower.

The veteran German submariner replied not with words but with action.

Another report followed by a second detonation silenced the machine gun.

"One more!" a furious Ron repeated. "Give her one under the smoke stack!"

"_Jawohl, Herr Kapitän!" _

"If they want to play it the hard way, I'll give them what they want. Torpedo room, ready Tube One! Felix, starboard once again! Engine room, halt!"

Below deck, Dr. Lipsky grinned with glee.

Unconcerned with the danger of the ambush he was thrilled to test out his new warhead.

He adjusted the settings once more and after Dementz had fired a second time he called up through the communications tube:

"Tube One, ready!"

"Tube One, Fire!"

A hiss of compressed air. A splash. A gurgling whisper of cavitating water and the torpedo was away.

At almost point blank range it was impossible to miss. The result of the hit, however, was very unexpected and left Captain Stoppable and Chief Gunner Dementz agape.

There was a loud clang as the torpedo impacted on the hull but rather than an explosion there came a strange crackling noise. A bluish-white halo lit up around the point of impact and spread out like ripples of lightning. Lipsky's 'Tesla Warhead' caused the paint on the hull to boil and the men on deck of the Q-ship to wail and spasm in electric agony. An eerie metallic groan followed as the plates and bolts of the Q-ship began to be forced apart by the horrifying force of the electromagnetic effect.

Below deck a shriek of feedback caused Wade to yank his headphones off and cry out in surprised anger.

"She's breaking up!" Ron gasped.

_"Mein Gott!"_

It was true.

As the plates and bolts gave way the Q-ship began taking in water which sped up the process of destruction. Before the eyes of the pirates and the horrified crews of the other two merchant vessels it broke apart and sank, burning within a matter of minutes.

After that the two ships surrendered without any protest.

The dazed and shocked survivors of the Q-ship were picked up by the life boats.

Ron and Dr. Lipsky boarded the captured vessels to inspect the cargo. Taking notes and commandeering the use of a few of the convoy's sailors, moved the most valuable parts of the arms shipment to the upper deck.

After several hours of tense wait the Amy Hall arrived. The selected loot was transferred to Lord Fiske's ship by his crew of Burmese sailors.

"What on earth happened here?" Lord Montgomery Fiske said. "We had the most horrendous bout of feedback and lost contact with you for several minutes."

"My invention worked perfectly." was Dr. Lipsky's only reply.

"That's all good and well" the renegade British Lord replied, refusing to show any sign of being impressed. "but we'd better step lively. We picked up radio traffic from several Mexican gunboats. Seems our GJ friends managed to get the message through."

"Ah, thanks for the heads-up." Ron nodded. "Here's the plan: Lord Fiske, you head for Shanghai. Sell the cargo and take your share of the money as usual. Wire the rest to Bank of Portugal. We'll pick the money up when we get to Macao."

At the mention of the Portuguese free port Ron's crew cheered. Wade joined in simply not to feel left out.

Felix Renton smiled quietly to himself. Macao was good. Ron needed it.

The supply ship and the submarine parted their ways.

_Kimberly Ann's Revenge_ turned her prow westwards, towards the Chinese Sea.


	4. Chapter 4

**Macao I**

The last stretch of the journey to Macao was the slowest.

The many islands and the presence of the merchant and military navies of a dozen nations along the heavily trafficked naval routes forced _Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ to run submerged during the day.

Once inside Portuguese national waters it was smooth sailing. Portugal was one of the few nations in the world more or less friendly to Ron and his crew. The country had been badly hit by post war recession and the money Captain Stoppable brought in by selling plundered goods and buying necessities made Kimberly Anne's Revenge a welcome guest in all ports of the colonial empire.

Thus it was not a surprise to the crew of the submarine to be met with friendly faces and cheers as she sailed into port.

"Don't forget the 'Gift Box'" Ron called over his shoulder as he made his way ashore, smiling and waving at a small crowd of fences, black marketeers and similar enterprising fellows.

With the bulk of the loot being sold off by Lord Fiske in Shanghai the small cargo holds of the _Kimberly Anne's Revenge _were crammed only with the most precious commodities.

Unloading was therefore conducted with excitement and jealousy by Ron's contacts in Macao.

Although impatient to get to his hotel, Ron had to stay and handle the transactions.

"Felix, take the box to the hotel and make some arrangements for Mr. Load, will you?"

"Aye, Captain."

Felix saluted smartly and walked off to hail a few taxis. Ron noted that Felix used his walking cane. It wasn't a handy tool aboard the sub but on land it made walking on prosthetics easier for Ron's second in command.

It took Ron longer than he'd liked to sort out the deals but eventually all was settled and considerable quantities of money had changed hands.

At his arrival at the luxurious hotel the manager himself greeted Ron.

"_Capitano_ Stoppable! We are ever so happy to have you as our guest!" The dapper, elderly gentleman held out his arms, welcoming the American renegade.

Ron smiled politely.

"Thank you, . I'm always happy to be here."

"We have your usual suite ready and all your friends have checked in of course."

"Including the new man?"

"Ah yes, the young American. He has been given an accommodation near 's room."

"You're efficient as always, Mr. Senior."

"Only the best for our most important and profitable patron." Mr. Senior laughed heartily. His deep voice made it sound more sinister than jolly.

"Well, as you can see, and probably smell, I'm far from presentable. I would very much like to go to my suite now, Mr. Senior. With your permission?" Ron hinted at walking away.

"Of course! Of course! I am sure we will have more time for conversation later on."

Ron didn't waste any time. He had his filthy naval uniform sent to the laundry and once Room Service had left he stepped into the shower without delay.

The rushing hot water concealed the faint noises of an unannounced guest entering Ron's chambers.

Hearing the sound of the shower the newcomer smiled softly and undressed until she was completely naked.

The covering noise from he shower had stopped but this didn't deter the woman.

By now Ron had stepped out of the shower and stood by the basin, shaving off the beard he'd acquired during the months at sea.

On naked feet the woman moved without a sound over the thick carpet. She slipped into the bathroom just as Ron covered his face with a towel and wiped the last remains of shaving soap off his face.

Her hand closed around the handle of the razor. She stepped up behind Ron and held the razor against his throat and spoke softly into his ear.

"Stoppable-s_an,_ you really should be more alert to your surroundings. What if I slit your throat where you stand?"

Ron froze for a moment. As he looked into the mirror his eyes met those of the woman behind him in the reflection.

"If I must have my throat slit I would rather have you do it than anyone else, Yori."

The razor fell into the basin with a clatter as Yori dropped it to embrace the blonde man from behind in a strong hug, her athletic body pressed against his.

"I have missed you so much, Ron!"

Turning around, still in her embrace, Ron wrapped his arms around his mistress and their lips met in a passionate kiss.

Quite some time later they lay side by side on the large bed, the sweat cooling on their naked bodies.

Yori rested her head on Ron's shoulder. She traced patterns on his chest as her finger played with the blonde hair.

"Are you happy, Ron?"

"I'm never unhappy with you, Yori."

The young Japanese woman looked up.

"But you are not truly happy."

He sighed.

"Why do you ask me these things? I can't answer your questions without hurting you."

"I ask because I want you to be happy. I ask because...because." She took a deep breath. "Because I love you, Ron. That's why. And I want you to love me."

"I do love you, Yori."

"But you do not love you they way I would want you to." It was a statement, not a question.

Ron was silent for a long time before he spoke again.

"No, Yori, I can't love you the way you deserve to be loved."

He turned his brown eyes away, embarrassed at having to say such hurtful things to the woman he cared for but could not love with all his heart.

Yori cupped his chin in her hand and made him face her.

"Don't be sad, Ron." Her smile was melancholy but warm. "Remember, you said you were never unhappy with me. Your American-style sense of individuality is misleading you. It is not your destiny to love me like I want just as it is not my destiny to be loved like I need."

She kissed him. The tip of her tongue played with his.

After the kiss Yori's dark eyes looked into Ron's.

"But maybe it is enough for both of us to have each other any way we can? Perhaps it is our destiny?"

Her smile held no longer was sad and somehow Ron felt his own spirits lifted was well.

They kissed again.

They embraced again.

She opened herself to him and once again they lost themselves in each other.


	5. Chapter 5

**Macao II**

Days passed as the crew of _Kimberly Ann's Revenge_ got some badly needed R&R.

Ron found himself at enough peace to enjoy the days ashore and spent much of the time with Yori to her quiet delight.

Good times could not last forever and so it was time for the crew to gather again.

"No rest for the wicked, chaps." as Felix put it when they gathered in the depths of the hotel bar.

"Wade? What happened to you?"

The teenage radio operator sported a magnificent black eye and a busted lip.

"Umm... it's..." Wade began, clearly embarrassed.

"He got mugged. Seriously."

"Gee, thanks for telling everyone that I can't take care of myself, Eddie!"

"Don't mention it."

"Are you OK?"

"Yeah, my pride hurts and my wallet's a bit lighter but I'll be fine."

"Seriously, I will teach you how to fight. Knife and fists, all seriously enough."

"All right, all right. Settle down. Listen up, men. We're leaving port in 48 hours so make sure all business is taken care of."

Dementz beckoned for attention.

"I said it before, I say it again: We need more men. I can barely handle the gun myself. If I get hurt..." He made a brief whistling noise. "_Kaputt._"

"I concur." Dr. Lipsky said. "Even with the pulley the torpedoes are difficult to handle. It's practically impossible to reload the tubes fast enough in battle."

Ron nodded.

"I know. But we can't find people with the skills we need here in Macao. That's why we're heading west this time. We'll to to Scotland and visit Laird Killigan."

"The much honoured Laird Killigan, if you please, Captain." Felix grinned.

Ron rolled his eyes but smiled.

"Thanks for correcting me on formalities, Lt. Renton. Are you done?"

"For the moment, Captain. For the moment."

"As I was saying, we go to Scotland. From there I want you guys to use whatever contacts you have to pick up at least a few more guys for the crew."

Ron's voice grew stern and his eyes were hard and serious as he let his gaze go from man to man around the table.

"Be careful, really careful, with who you pick. Remember, we don't have many friends out there and I certainly don't want enemies aboard my ship."

The professed their understanding of Ron's order.

"Now, get busy and get your affairs in order."

As they finished their drinks and got up the blue-skinned Pole threw a little jab Ron's way.

"But you're the one with a personal affair, not us!"

"Show some respect, Lipsky!" Felix retorted. "Stoppable is your Captain!"

Dr. Lipsky laughed.

"I'm an anarchist, Felix. I have no respect for authority at all, remember?" He made a slight bow. "I do respect you, however, Captain Stoppable. I hope you can forgive the greatest genius of your crew?"

Ron laughed and slapped Dr. Lipsky on the back.

"Sure, I forgive you, Andy-boy!"

As the crew made their way out from the bar Ron could hear Dr. Lipsky pretend to complain to the others.

"Andy-boy. Andrew. Is it so hard to say Andreas? What will it be next? Drew?"

Ron sat alone by the table for some time after his crew had left.

"Can I sit with you, Stoppable-_san_?"

Yori had come up to him and Ron hadn't heard a thing.

He could never understand how she moved so silently on four inch heels across the hardwood floor.

"You know you don't need to ask, Yori. And why do you call me '_san'_? We are close enough don't you think?"

"Because when I am with you I want to conduct myself properly."

She laughed softly and kissed Ron on the cheek as she sat down by him.

They sat silent for a while, just enjoying the company of each other.

"I'm leaving soon, Yori."

"I know. I saw it in your eyes this morning." She put her hand on his. "I will miss you, Ron."

"I will miss you too, Yori. It will be a while before I come back to you again, I'm afraid."

Yori nodded and the quiet between them settled for a while before Ron took her hand and they stood up.

"Let us make the most of the time we have left, Yori."

Hand in hand they walked. Neither spoke for a long time, alone with their thoughts.

The day of departure arrived.

From the bed Ron watched Yori fit, slender body moved with precise grace.

That was the reason he'd been attracted to her the first time she approached him. Not because of who she was, that attraction had come later.

It was the shape of her body and the way she carried herself that reminded him of another woman, the woman he'd lost.

His body remembered as much as his mind.

"You know, Yori, even though we've known each other for a while now, I have no idea where you live. I don't know what books you read. I don't know anything about your family or anything."

She looked over her shoulder and smiled.

"Oh, but Ron, don't you understand? It is because I want it to be that way."

"But why?"

Yori held her hand up before her mouth and giggled. It was a surprisingly girlish sound.

"Oh, Ron! Your American-style curiosity is why. You see, because you do not know these things you will think about them. Because they are my secrets you must think about me as well."

Ron's smile was wider than Yori's but just was warm.

"Oh, you are far too clever for me, Yori! Maybe I should fear you?"

"Maybe. Just a little bit."

The Japanese woman winked.

The man she loved got up from the bed and embraced her. Their kiss lasted a long time before she gently pushed him away.

"Our paths must separate now, Ron. But one day the great river of life will bring you back to me."

"But it won't bring you back to me?" Ron said.

"Ron, do not worry." She placed a small hand on his chest. "You will always be with me. Nothing can change that."

With a final kiss and no further explanation of her last words, Yori left Ron's suite.

Ron sighed deeply.

"_Why must women always be so complicated?_" he thought.

He put his jacket on, donned his Captain's cap and walked out towards the port and his waiting submarine.

"_Mine is not to question why_" he misquoted Tennyson.

"_Mine is just to do or die_."


	6. Chapter 6

**Macao, Epilogue**

Several weeks had passed since Ron had left Macao and Yori sat by her desk as she made sure the last reports had been compiled and the envelopes sealed.

Unbeknownst to her lover, Yori was Yamanouchi Society's foremost agent in southern China, providing the cause of the secret society with information to use, trade and sell.

There was a knock on her door, just as expected and a dapper Japanese gentleman entered without waiting for any response from Yori which also was expected.

"Welcome, Hirotaka-_san_."

"Good evening, Yori."

"Here are the reports, Hirotaka. This one to sell to the Chinese government, this one is for the _Kempetai_ and this one is for the Yamanouchi Society only."

Hirotaka nodded and stuffed the envelopes into his briefcase without a second glance at them.

"I have information that you need, Yori. Our operation in Shanghai has been betrayed and many of our men there have been lost. It is feared that Captain Stoppable or someone in his organization is behind this."

Yori was surprised but did not let it show in the slightest.

"Please, do go on, Hirotaka-_san_."

"We expected an delivery from the ship _Amy Hall_ to Shanghai and had our men there ready to pick the goods up and pay for the transaction. As you know, Lord Fiske is a member of Captain Stoppable's organization. When we did not hear from the agents and the goods did not arrive at their final destination I was sent to investigate. We have to rebuild the entire Shanghai cell from scratch now."

"But Hirotaka, the transaction did take place. I am witness to this for I was with Captain Stoppable when he received his share of the the funds from Shanghai through the Bank of Portugal here in Macao."

"That is one of two things that troubles me. If Captain Stoppable got the money it means that Lord Fiske of the _Amy Hall_ did indeed meet our agents. The other thing that bothers me is the manner of which our men in Shanghai were disposed."

He paused for a moment before he went on.

"They had been slain by the use of Monkey Kung-Fu."

Now Yori could not hold back a gasp of astonishment and fear.

"The Yamanouchi Society did not destroy it's own cell so that only leaves one group with sufficient insight in Monkey Fung Fu."

"The Disciples of the Black Sutras." Yori whispered in horror.

Hirotaka merely nodded for he was too unnerved to say anything and they were quiet for a long time before he spoke again.

"The Yamanouchi Society sees one out of three possibilities. One: Captain Stoppable is a willing accomplice and a servant of The Disciples. Two: He is being used as a patsy to cover the nefarious purposes of our enemies. Three: Someone in his organization is a member of the Disciples of the Black Sutras."

"What does the Yamanouchi Society desire of their humble servant in Macao? As you know Captain Stoppable left Macao over a month ago."

"Your orders are to meet him when he returns and find out what the truth is. If Captain Stoppable is a willing accomplice or in any other way a threat to our cause you know what your duty is."

At this point Yori almost raised her hand to her chest when she understood the nature of her orders. An average man would not have noticed the minute, interrupted movement but Hirotaka was anything but average.

"You hesitate. Is your dedication to our cause not strong enough, Yori?"

She quickly regained her composure.

"It is strong enough, Hirotaka-san. I had a moment of weakness but now it is passed. It will be my honour to do the bidding of the Yamanouchi Society."

Seemingly satisfied with this Hirotaka bowed, said his goodbyes and left Yori alone with her thoughts.

She had said she was ready to do her duty if Ron could be considered an enemy of the Cause but was she truly ready? Her hands wandered down to her stomach.

_"How can I make myself kill him? How can I kill the man I love, the father of our child?"_ she thought.

A single tear rolled down her cheek as darkness fell over Macao.


	7. Chapter 7

**Indian Ocean**

"I don't like this at all. Why would he go ashore anyway when he'd just been to Shanghai?" Captain Ron Stoppable frowned and his brown eyes narrowed as minor pangs of suspicion rippled though his mind.

"Maybe he's gone native, what with all these Burmese lads he employs?" Felix replied with a shrug. "It happens sometimes. Lord Fiske has been a reliable ally all these years and I can't see why he would suddenly turn his back on us now. Should we wait any longer, Captain?"

"No, I left him a message. He'll know what to do when he returns, whenever that'll be. I hope you're right, Felix. Maybe I'm just jumping at shadows."

_Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ had anchored off the coast of Burma to make contact with Lord Fiske in order to coordinate the sub and her supply ship, the _Amy Hall._

To Ron's surprise and worry Lord Fiske had left Rangoon and gone off to the north, deep into the inland leaving his ship in port. The sailors on the Amy Hall, every single one of them Burmese, had refused to reveal anything beyond that.

There was not much to do about it really. The longer they waited the greater the risk of discovery got so the pirate sub simply had to raise anchor and head west.

The Indian Ocean was a barren sea to Ron as neither WWEE or GJ routed any significant tonnage there. Thus it was with a certain impatience he ordered _Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ towards Mogadishu in Italian Somaliland to to deliver a small but profitable cargo of contraband.

For a regime that claimed to be all about order and efficiency the new Fascist government of the Italian Empire had done little to improve the pace of life in her colonies.

While waiting for the corrupt government man to make the pick up, Ron and his crew decided to have dinner at a small Italian restaurant.

In the middle of the pleasant small talk Dementz cried out.

"Augh! A rat!" He swatted at something small with his napkin. An odd, pink rodent had scampered onto the table and stolen a piece of cheese from the German's plate.

"I'll get it! Seriously!" Edward Lipsky stabbed at the critter with his fork but the nimble little fellow quickly darted this way and that, avoiding the Polish engineer's attempts at harpooning it.

"Look how clever he is!" Wade laughed. "He's hiding behind the Captain's arm."

True enough, the peculiar animal had moved closer to Ron the moment it noticed that the stabby fork never came in that direction.

A waiter hurried up to the table. "I'm so sorry, gentlemen! These mole rats are such a pest here!" he said as he tried to shoo the rodent away. Suddenly the mole rat in question was gone without any apparent trace.

There was some confused laughter around the table combined with further apologies from the waiter.

They had finished their meal and were sharing a bottle of chianti when the government man finally arrived. Business was conducted in a hurry which was just as good. The Lipsky cousins bristled instantly at the presence of any government figure and even more so when Fascists or Bolsheviks were concerned.

"Let us get out of this reactionary cesspool." Dr. Andreas Lipsky had snarled and Ron saw no reason not to.

He slung his jacket over his shoulder and noticed that it felt heavier than it normally would. Suspecting some sort of foul play Ron stopped to rummage through his pockets and was very much astonished when he found a naked mole rat in one of them.

"Well, hello there little buddy." he said and held the little animal by the scruff of it's neck. "You seem determined to stay with us and it looks like it's your lucky day."

He showed the mole rat to the crew. "Say hello to the ship's mascot, fellows."

The latest member of the crew was named Rufus for no readily apparent reason. Without further ado he was given an old hat box for a cabin and a towel to sleep on. When the submarine crossed the equator a little while later Rufus was dunked in the ocean, as custom demands. He was then given some sweets and a tiny amount of rum to celebrate his first crossing and with all formalities satisfied the mole rat was from then on accepted as a proper member of the crew.

Rufus made himself quite at home on the submarine and got along reasonably well with all the crewmen except Dr. Lipsky who found the tiny animal annoying. The mole rat showed a particular affection for Ron however,presumably since Ron was the one who usually fed the mascot. Rufus would often be found perched on his shoulder in an odd imitation of the stereotypical pirate's parrot , peeking out of his coat pocket or napping in Ron's cap.

The journey south was made somewhat hazardous as the French and British colonial authorities of eastern Africa had ships and even the occasional aircraft on patrol. It was only after they'd entered the comparatively friendly waters of Mozambique that the pirates could relax a little. The respite would be brief however and everyone knew it. Captain Stoppable had spend the last days studying shipping tables and the intercepted radio messages that Wade would bring him.

Felix knew the signs by now as Ron's brown eyes glittered with a hunger for revenge that could only mean hard and dangerous work for the tiny pirate crew.

"This time, Felix, we will make them hurt so bad!" Ron was positively gloating. "The Atlantic shipping lanes are packed full of WWEE and GJ freighters. They must think we're still in the pacific. It's as radical as the Lipskys' political leanings! This is bad for them, radically bad even."

"Badical?" Wade suggested from his tiny radio booth, not expecting the phrase to be taken seriously.

"Yes! Badical!" Ron's ensuing laughter was a shrill, vicious thing that sent shivers down the spine of all who heard it.

Once _Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ had rounded the Cape of Good Hope a time of savage raiding would begin.


	8. Chapter 8

**Atlantic I**

The South Atlantic had become a battlefield again. _Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ had been absent from these waters for many months and her sudden return had caught WWEE and GJ shipping by surprise.

In a matter of a few months Ron and his crew had sunk tonnage in quantities unseen since the end of the Great War.

Their exploits were greeted with jubilation among salvagers all along the coast of Africa south of the equator and many African families saw their fortunes change for the better in the otherwise lean times following the war.

Of course, not everyone was as fortunate. WWEE and Global Justice stock plummeted as profits dwindled.

Shipping firms in competition with WWEE and Global Justice were secretly pleased as they picked up contract after contract in the wake of Ron's raids. Lloyds of London refused to insure WWEE and GJ cargoes and ships any longer.

Taking greater and greater risks in order to attack the shipping of his enemies, Ron drove his men on in his relentless quest to fill the hole in his heart with acts of vengeance.

_The Sea Hag,_ the western supply ship, had met up around the equator and taken in loads of contraband and loot to sell in Casablanca.

Ron's hunger was far from sated, however and once again he turned his attentions to the south.

By now his crew was approaching almost total exhaustion and Ron himself was coming closer and closer to the breaking point.

"This isn't raiding any more. This is a feeding frenzy. Seriously." Edward said to Dementz as they tended the deck gun under the light of a full moon just off the coast of Ascension.

"_Genau._ But we have been successful. Even if the Captain sells the plunder zrough zat Brozerson fellow in Casablanca we are making much profit."

"That's seriously not my point. We must go away from here soon. Every time becomes a closer and closer call."

Dementz nodded quietly and passed a flask of schnapps to the blonde Pole.

"Look, we must tell the Captain. He will not do it on his own accord. You know I speak seriously now, Dementz. You are a submariner like the Captain, you and Felix should talk to him, he will listen!"

"I know, I know. It's just zat he is _Der Kapitän_. A German mariner does not question his Captain unless he is a Bolshevik or a mutineer and I am neither." Dementz sighed unhappily.

"Mutiny? Seriously! Why do you think that of me?" Edward was quite hurt at the implication.

"Well, you are an anarchist."

"Ah, you misunderstand my seriousness, Dementz. I will not betray the Captain, I am seriously reliable guy. I am Ed with the Motor, _nie_?" He took a swig from the flask and passed it back to Dementz. "Will you at least talk to Renton on the matter?"

"_Ja, ja_. I will."

Dementz talked to Felix early in the morning, just after Felix woke up and just before Dementz was about to go off his shift.

The second in command of _Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ only nodded. He shared the opinion of the others but he was not at all happy with taking on the task.

To his surprise he found Ron on the platform.

"I say, Captain, are you up and about already?"

"No, I haven't gone to sleep yet."

Felix took a deep breath, bracing himself for the task at hand.

"Captain, I think it's time to end the hunting season for this time."

Ron turned to look Felix in the eyes.

"What do you mean? We're doing great. See? Captain Ron is all about the smiles!"

Ron's smile was more like a grin and it was far from merry. His eyes were to far wide open and the smile too wide and sore. The hands holding the binoculars where shaking, unable to stop.

"Look, Felix there's nothing to worry about, we've still got..."

"Got what, Ron?" Felix interrupted. "We're completely out of torpedoes. Hell, we're using the torpedo bay as a cargo hold and Lipsky is sleeping on loot like a god damn dragon! Dementz is down to his last dozen shells or so! Listen to me Captain, we can't go on much longer."

Ron's grin disappeared and his brown eyes flared with barely restrained, irrational anger.

"Lieutenant Renton, I don't think I care much for your tone of voice. Remember who you're talking to."

"I thought I was talking to my friend, Ron Stoppable, Captain. But if I'm mistaken I bloody well apologize, Sir!"

Without another word Felix climbed down the hatch, sad and frustrated, leaving Ron on the platform.

He sat down by the tiny table on the bridge and looked at a small pile of papers that Wade had left there during the night. The radio operator himself had fallen asleep by his equipment and sat snoring in front of the radio set.

After a several minutes the clang of the hatch closing was heard and Ron climbed down to join Felix.

"Look...Felix." he started, swaying slightly from lack of sleep. "I'm sorry. I just...I didn't mean it the way it came out."

Felix put the papers down and turned to face his Captain and friend.

"Ron, we're all tired. When was the last time you slept?"

"I don't know. Maybe two or three days ago. Maybe a little bit more than that. I'm fine, I really am."

"See? You're not fine. That's why I forgive you. Because we're friends and because I know we're all tired. No blame. OK?"

He held out his hand and Ron shook it, grasping it like a drowning man holds on to a line he's been thrown.

"No blame, Felix." Ron's smile was warm, almost shy this time. "What have you got for me there?"

Felix was just as eager as Ron to change the subject away from their distressing confrontation and handed over the papers.

"Seems Wade has brought us bad news, Ron."

Ron eyed the intercepted messages Wade had picked up and jotted down.

"Are these correct?"

"He's never been wrong before."

"_Armada de la República Argentina_ , _Marinha do Brasil_ . Not so bad, we could dodge them forever if we had to but the bloody Royal Navy?"

"Told you it was bad news."

Despite the poor lighting inside the sub, Felix could see Ron's tanned face turning a shade or two paler. Not even the desperate vindictiveness of Captain Ron Stoppable could deny the enormous power of the RN.

Now that almost godlike destructive power, was bearing down on the hunting grounds of _Kimberly Anne's Revenge _to put an end to the raiding.

"Lt. Renton?"

"Aye Captain?"

"Get us out of here if you please."

"Aye Captain."

Ron staggered to his cabin and the waiting bunk when Felix spoke again.

"Ron?"

"Yes, Felix?"

"Thank you."


	9. Chapter 9

**Mongolian Interlude I**

**Urga**

There was a dull thud outside and almost immediately afterwards the Zeppelin rose rapidly causing the frame to creak and the floor to lurch.

The Countess of Tunguska cursed in surprise and left her luxurious cabin once she'd regained her footing.

As she stalked the long access corridor towards the command gondola frightened and respectful crewmen did their best to avoid the attention and ire of the green-skinned noblewoman.

"Bastable? What is going on? Why are we rising?"

Without a word in reply the man by the controls simply handed her a pair of binoculars.

Had anyone else acted with such insolence the Countess would have punished him by now but the enigmatic Englishman got away with it without as much as a disdainful comment.

"We've lost Urga." Bastable said eventually as the green Countess raised the binoculars to spy out the window.

"Are you mad? Wouldn't that mean Baron Ungern has been defeated?"

"Yes, Countess."

It occurred to the exile Russian Countess that Bastable had not specified which of her two rhetorical questions he'd answered.

Her musings were interrupted by a puff of grey smoke below the Zeppelin that soon dissipated in the wind. Moments later it was followed by another puff, closer this time and the sound of a detonation could be heard over the sound of the engine and the rushing winds.

"Taking evasive action, Countess."

The Zeppelin made a turn, bringing it in a wide circle around Urga, the sacred capital of Mongolia, allowing for the air mobile Warlord to get a better view of the ground below.

A low snarl escaped her.

"It's Sükhbaatar! I can see the Bolshevik and Nationalist red and yellow banners!"

The Mongolian nationalist had lead his men along with his Russian Communist allies to victory over Baron Ungern's rag-tag army and ended the Baron's irrational and bizarre theocratic rule.

This left the Countess with a dilemma. It was not a moral dilemma of course, no, she had largely abandoned such things during the long years of the Russian Civil War. It was a dilemma of honour for her.

She had joined the White Cause early on and when the Reds pushed her forces out of Siberia she had ended up siding with Baron von Ungern-Sternberg and his insane dream of a new, spiritual World Order, not so much from any remaining idealism but because his madness and audacity appealed to her own lust for destruction and chaos.

To her this was a matter of the weight and value of her given word.

A green flame rose from the tip of her finger as she lit a cigarette.

She had returned from Shanghai where she'd purchased supplies and a new, advanced weapon for the Baron from some smuggler or piratical type. Now she circled Urga without anyone to make her promised delivery.

_"In a world of change it is important to be dependable."_ she thought, laughing inwardly.

The Countess had made up her mind.

"I was never a breaker of promises. Captain Bastable, give the devil his due."

"Countess?"

"Arm the phosgene canisters and drop them as we pass over Urga."

Moments later the silvery canisters filled with poison gas tumbled earthwards. Below the Zeppelin blossoms of chemical death opened in an eerie display of silent horror.

"Consider our cargo delivered." The Countess unnaturally green eyes flared with murderous, almost perversely sensual glee as she viewed the devastation she wreaked.

The Zeppelin distanced itself from Urga and the Countess let out a small sigh.

"Mongolia has nothing left to offer us, Captain Bastable. I fear the White Cause is a lost one in Central Asia at least."

"For what destination should I plot our course, Countess?"

Rather than demanding a course towards the expected Shanghai or Harbin the woman struck a dramatic pose and pointed to the south-west.

"Take me to the ruins of Karakorum, Captain, I have a meeting with a Princess."


	10. Chapter 10

**Mongolian Interlude II**

**Karakorum**

The Zeppelin descended towards the ruins of Karakorum.

The Countess of Tunguska was faintly amused at the commotion her arrival caused among the band of Mongol cavalry that made camp there. Exactly how Bastable had manage to sneak up on them with a huge airship over an open steppe was beyond her but his skills were undeniable and invaluable.

Even before they had gotten to the makeshift mooring mast and the ladders have been lowered the green skinned Countess leapt elegantly from the door. Her black Cossack greatcoat flared out behind her like the wings of a dark angel, which was of course the effect she hoped for. This band of Mongolians were not easily impressed by anything less than the supernatural.

Her landing was perfect, like that of a gymnast and barely without breaking stride she went straight towards a band of Mongol warriors who'd come hurrying up to the landing site.

"You there! Take me to your chieftain!"

To her annoyance the Mongolians only bowed slightly. She knew they considered her odd looks and capabilities to be signs of mystic powers but she also knew they considered themselves led by a war chief possessed by some spirit of the steppes.

She was shown to a tent with two burly guards outside and as she approached to enter she found the entrance blocked by the carbines of the sentries.

Unnaturally green eyes narrowed dangerously and a faint crackle of fire was heard as alien flames flared up around the hands of the Countess.

"Step aside, fools or die where you stand."

"Don't threaten my warriors, Countess." The voice was young and clear but held the tone of someone who was used to giving orders and be obeyed.

The tent flap was pushed to the side and the guards presented arms to the young woman that stepped out. She was half a head shorter than the Russian Countess but no less striking a figure.

Red hair fluttered in the cool autumn winds and her unbuttoned blouse partially exposed a tanned and battle scarred body, lean and powerful like that of a young she-wolf. An eye patch made from lacquered wood where her right eye had been had a demonic eye painted on it to replace the missing one. The left eye was a greyish green that could glitter with playful warmth or fiery anger but now it was a cold green gaze that met and matched the emerald glare of the Countess.

They had met on several occasions in service of Baron Ungern-Sternberg and since both women were beautiful, fierce and strong willed they had come do dislike each other with a passion from the very first moment they laid eyes on each other.

"About time you came to greet your betters, Fire Princess." the Russian woman said, making sure her tone held no respect whatsoever for the title she'd used.

The red headed woman shrugged.

"I don't see any of my 'betters' around. I see my brave equals." She swept her hand out to encompass the camp of warriors. " and I see you but no betters in sight." She pretended to shade her eye and spied out across the steppe.

A growl of outrage escaped the Countess who raised her still flaming hand as if to lash out at the younger woman.

"Douse that flame or lose the hand." the redhead said in a mock-carefree voice as her fingers toyed with the pommel of the cavalry sabre at her side. "What do you want Countess? I thought you were supposed to be in Urga."

The Russian woman doused her flame, not because she was afraid of the Fire Princess but because she knew her news would hit harder.

"I've just come from Urga where I've just gassed a few thousand men."

That got a reaction from the war chief.

"You did what?"

"Gassed a few thousand Bolsheviks. The Baron is defeated and the Communists will consume this land too. You have no cause left, Princess, nothing to fight for at all."

_"That rattled the little vixen."_ the Countess thought as she saw the look in the other woman's eye.

The Fire Princess soon regained her composure.

"Neither have you, Countess so what will you be doing now?"

"Oh I don't know. I could take whatever wealth I have and live a life of luxury in Shanghai, Macao or Istanbul."

"But you won't." A statement, not a question.

"No. No I won't. You see there's the difference between us, Princess. I don't need a cause to hide behind, I don't need to justify my actions. Unlike you I am honest when I steal, raid and destroy. I don't do it to stop Bolshevism, free the people of Mongolia or play little games of Robin Hood to aid ungrateful peasants. I do what I want because I simply enjoy it."

"That makes you evil, Countess."

"Yes. Yes it does." She threw her head back and laughed long and loud at her confession of her nature. "Well, enough of this chit-chat. My men have unloaded the last supplies I'll ever send you so from now on you are on your own. I doubt we will ever meet again, Princess without a Cause."

The 'Princess without a Cause' watched the tall Russian woman spin around and walk back to her airship. She buttoned her blouse and turned to her guards. "Have the crates carried over here. I will inspect them later."

As the Zeppelin sailed off into the distance the war chief walked to the outskirts of the camp to be alone with her thoughts.

"_I can't hide behind a cause any more. She was right and I hate her for it. Now I must face myself again."_

It had been a strange set of circumstances that had made her leader of this war band. She had staggered through a snowstorm away from the fires of The Betrayal that had stolen the love of her life from her. Injured, one eye ruined and festering with infection and close to freezing to death she had stumbled into the dirty camp of outcasts and rejects of Mongolian society.

These men were the shirkers, the cowards and losers of the land and were disdainfully known merely as The Mongrel Dogs. The butt of jokes and insults they had no dignity and no honour left and so drifted across the steppe to eke out a miserable living until the day when the Fire Princess came to them.

At first they had thought her a Russian exile who could be exchanged for ransom but her mumbled words were not in Russian. They talked about slitting her throat as she lay feverish and helpless in their camp but none of them had the courage to do the deed and so they finally decided to consult a soothsayer. That way, if they were told to kill her it wouldn't be their fault but the will of the Gods.

They found a holy man who could read fortunes and in exchange for a freshly stolen lamb he agreed to do so. Bones were cast, prayers were offered and the seer spoke.

"Dredge the impure of her dead eye and it will see the road to victory through the mists of the Spirit World. If you follow her into battle she will be the undoing of your flesh and the rebirth of your honour. Your destiny in this life and the afterlife are now bound together. Victory, death and glory will be yours if you kneel before her. Your ancestors will welcome you in the afterlife after your inevitable end."

The holy man would say no more and the Mongrel Dogs knew that this was Fate.

To a man they vowed to make the red headed strange woman their leader and serve her, if only to at least bring some joy to their ancestors.

Now the few score of warriors that remained were all loyal beyond doubt to their Fire Princess. She had taken these filthy men and reincarnated them while still alive. She cheered them on where others spat at them. She learned from them the ways of the horse and the bow and the steppe and taught them the ways to avoid the fields of fire of machine guns and to understand the dangers of modern artillery. She gave to them the will to fight as men and she gave them plans and raids so daring and clever that all Mongolia would marvel.

"They fight like mad dogs!" people would whisper and so the Mongrel Dogs became the Mad Dogs.

They had named her the Fire Princess because of the colour of her hair, her fierce temper and because she must be possessed by a powerful spirit of the Outer World.

That was four years ago.

Since then she had lead them to battle against the Chinese Warlords who would occupy Mongolia, against Russian Bolsheviks and against Japanese raiding parties. The Mad Dogs had suffered their share of losses but never known defeat.

When the Mad Dogs had followed her to the banner of The Baron and only her voice could stay the savage hand of that sacred lunatic when his cruelty became too much to bear. She alone dared to stand up to the Green Countess, another woman obviously possessed by spirits.

To the Fire Princess nothing was impossible.

Now that Princess looked out across the steppe, her back against the camp feeling very alone and very tired.

Slowly she made her way back to her warriors who had gathered around the crates the Countess had delivered.

She tried to hide her gloomy disposition as well as she could but her warriors sensed it and they too became increasingly morose. The mood became darker as the evening progressed and the Mad Dogs fell as silent as their Princess.

As night fell they withdrew to their tents with a sense of impending Destiny despite, or perhaps because of, the strangely mournful silence of their war chief.

The munitions and the carbines that the Countess had delivered were wrapped in old newspapers and the young woman sat by her fire, tossing page after page on the fire while staring into the flames.

The night passed and still she could not sleep.

"_Wherever shall I go? Whatever shall I do?"_

She was about to throw a page of the Shanghai Times on the fire when her eye fell upon something that almost made her heart stop.

Scarcely daring to believe what she saw she began to read.

_"Wanted, dead or alive. For actions of piracy, smuggling and destruction of private property the Chinese, British, Japanese and US governments are paying the sum of 25'000 Pounds Sterling at the successful capture of Captain Ronald Dean Stoppable."_

She felt faint, intoxicated, invigorated, reading the words again and again. Then she saw the date at the top of the page. A mere month ago!

Ron was alive!

As the sun rose over Karakorum the Mad Dogs were awakened by a wild war cry of joy unlike anything they had ever heard before from the Fire Princess.

"Rise up my Mad Dogs! It is time to ride!"

They hurried to break camp and mounted the horses.

"Where to, _Khan_? Where to Princess?" they called, elated at the sight of the wondrous smile of their leader.

"We ride south and east! To China! To fields of glory and hope thought lost!"

Kimberly Ann Possible thrust her sabre towards the rising sun as the wind caressed her face like the touch of a lover.

"Mad Dogs!" she shouted over the cheers of her brave warriors. "Mad Dogs, go!"


	11. Chapter 11

**A Winter in Scotland**

The journey north was more a matter of timing than any actual skill. Since the Royal Navy was heading south in force and did not expect _Kimberly Ann's Revenge_ to actually be heading straight towards them, they weren't actually looking too hard for her. It took a considerable amount of time until they reached the Cap Verde Islands since Ron had decided to play it safe and run submerged as much as possible to minimize the risk of detection. In Praia they sold off some of the cargo to create space in the already overstocked holds, and used the funds to bribe the harbour master to provide diesel for the pirate sub. Once past the Cap Verde it was far safer and the submarine made good speed as she could sail on the surface as long as they kept away from the main shipping routes. As they entered Portuguese national waters Ron used the radio to send a message during one of his shifts while Wade was asleep and a few days later stopped to pick up a large box just off shore of Vinano do Castelo. When the crew asked what it was he merely smiled and told them it was to be a surprise.  
>With autumn came increasingly bad weather in the north Atlantic and after they had passed the Bay of Biscay the storms made Ron decide against the safer detour west of Ireland and rather chance going submerged through the Irish Channel. He rightly assumed that the bad weather would keep most patrols, naval and aerial, at home.<br>It was a dark and stormy night when _Kimberly Ann's Revenge_ slipped into the grotto that held Laird Killigan's secret port. The island of Insleyfarne and the hidden harbour had served as a haven for smugglers and privateers since the late twelfth century and when it did once again in November 1921 it was nothing out of the ordinary.  
>As the submarine was moored and burly Scotsmen began to empty her holds Ron and his men made their way ashore where they were greeted by Laird Duff Killigan himself.<br>"Welcome, my friends! Welcome my fine source of income!" he laughed. "I've made a pretty penny off your exploits. In fact I made such a pretty penny that even those of you who're from the wrong side of the Wall are welcome!" He laughed at his own joke and slapped Felix on the back so hard that the Englishman almost fell over. "Come upstairs, your money awaits you and I have an idea of what hungry sailors such as yourself might need."  
>All the pirates were extremely hard pressed to look pleased at the implied threat of the Killigan family haggis. The recipe was in fact so horrid that Killigan had received threats from haggis connoisseurs promising dire consequences if the recipe was not destroyed.<br>Ron interrupted the Scotsman quickly.  
>"Laird Killigan, I would be honoured if you would let me repay your hospitality instead of us taking advantage of your generous heart. If you would kindly lend me the use of your kitchen for a few hours I would like to present you all with a meal that will not disappoint you."<br>The Scotsman was taken in by Ron's flattering words and graciously put the kitchen of Castle Killigan to Ron's disposal. While the crew were shown to their lodgings, Ron hurried to the kitchen along with his mystery crate, accompanied by Rufus. The ship's mascot took the opportunity to stuff himself with sheep cheese, which was available in large quantities in the kitchen stores.  
>A few hours later the crew and Killigan had gathered around the huge dining table and waited with both curiosity and growing hunger for Ron to make his appearance. Eventually the door to the kitchen was flung open and Ron at the head of a small convoy of servants made a grand entrance, carrying pots and plates and several dark green bottles.<br>"Gentlemen! I give you nothing less than a proper Taco dinner! Spices from all over the Iberian peninsula! Cheese from bonnie ol' Scotland, wine from Portugal, the freshest vegetables in the kitchen, delicious meats from finest Insleyfarne livestock and freshly baked _tortillas _straight out of the ovens! _¡Buen provecho! _"  
>Although Killigan voiced suspicions whether this could truly compete with his family haggis this was more a formal expression of patriotism on the Scotsman's part than any serious criticism. They ate and drank, they sang and laughed. They traded stories and squabbled in good cheer over insignificant matters. It was not until the cold, grey light of dawn began to filter in through the windows that they finally went to sleep.<p>

After several days of rest and relaxation Ron gathered his men to talk about the coming months.  
>"First of all I'd like to apologize for all the hard work I put you through down south." Ron was still embarrassed at how the vindictive fury in his heart had driven him to treat his crew unfairly. The pirate crew in return made noises of martial bravado and claimed that it had been all in a day's work even though they all knew that they had all come closer to the breaking point than they were keen to admit.<br>"You saved us from Killigan's haggis. That is apology enough! Seriously" Edward said and everyone laughed in agreement.  
>After they settled down Ron brought their attention to more serious matters.<br>"As we agreed upon in Macao it is necessary to get a larger crew. Now, you all know I'm not comfortable with having anyone on board that I haven't hand picked myself but you know what kind of help you need so I'll leave that up to you. We have forged documents, courtesy of our host, and money enough to see you through my next order. I order you to use the winter to get hold of people you can trust as much as can I trust you. Now, any questions or comments?"  
>Felix simply stated that he already was Ron's second in command and didn't see a need for a third in command. Dementz already had a few submariners in Kiel and Hamburg in mind and was sure he could recruit them. The Lipsky cousins were less certain and both agreed that they would do their best to find the help they needed.<br>Wade raised his hand like a schoolboy and looked uneasy.  
>"Yes, Mr. Load?"<br>"I don't think I'll be needing any extra help, Captain. I can manage on my own."  
>"Are you sure? I've seen you fall asleep by the radio set, you know."<br>"Yes, well, it's just that..." He fell silent.  
>"Out with it, Load."<br>"I just don't like people messing with my settings. I've got them all arranged just like I want them and I have to reset everything again when someone else has been at the radio. That includes you, Captain and Lt. Renton as well. No offense."  
>Dementz was visibly outraged at such insubordinate words and Felix huffed and muttered something about Wade being "an electronic <em>prima donna<em>". The Lipskys laughed heartily. Wade's display of individualism appealed to their anarchic mindset.  
>Ron was silent for a few moments before he replied.<br>"OK, the radio is yours and yours alone Mr. Load but it's on your head if you ever let me down. This must be absolutely crystal clear. Do you understand me?"  
>Wade saluted like he'd seen the others do.<br>"Aye, Captain!" Despite Ron's ominous words he was quite confident and proud of his skills and he accepted the responsibility with youthful optimism.

Days turned into weeks, Felix had gone south to visit his parents. With the rest of the crew gone off to mainland Europe Ron and Wade were left to study shipping charts, assemble information on the latest types of ships, military and commercial alike and keep track of the stock market. Although WWEE had suffered the brunt of _Kimberly Ann's Revenge's_ wrath it seemed something was affecting Global Justice's stock market value as well.  
>"Must be unrest in China. GJ has got lots of mining operations going on in the inland." Ron mused, unaware of the fact that the Fire Princess, the love of his life, had left Mongolia for China on her quest to find him.<br>For Ron the tedious work was the a way for him to keep his restless hunger for action and revenge in check. Wade on the other hand seemed to enjoy the task of comparing and combining seemingly unrelated scraps of information. Ron soon found he could barely keep up with the intuitive leaps the young radio operator seemed to make with ease.  
>With sleet, blizzards and pouring rains in an uneven mix blowing in from the North Sea going outdoors was rarely an option even for a hardened sailor like Ron and being cooped up inside Killigan's Castle began to take its toll on his nerves. Wade noted with some concern that Ron had begun sampling Killigan's excellent whisky with increased frequency. When Felix returned right after Christmas it was a welcome distraction for Ron.<br>Felix on his part was in rather poor shape. His visit to see his parents had apparently not been a very successful undertaking. Exactly what had happened was unclear to all but Ron who spent long hours talking and listening to Felix. For what it was worth it was something from which both men seemed to benefit.  
>It seemed to Ron, Wade and Felix that winter would never end until Killigan barged into the meeting room with his usual lack of restraint and declared that the ferry from the mainland was on it's way and it held passengers for once.<br>"It seems you'll have your crew yet, Captain Stoppable."  
>Although a far cry from a full crew the new men would be a welcome help for the generally overworked crew of <em>Kimberly Ann's Revenge.<em> Dementz had brought four former sailor mates from the war, all veteran submariners. Ron had to interview them through Dementz since Ron only spoke a smattering of German and some Yiddish while the Germans hardly spoke English at all.  
>"Give them a crash course in English and they've got a job. Naval, technical and command terms first of course."<br>"Aye, Captain." For once Dementz refrained from using the German wanted show that he intended to follow Ron's order strictly.  
>Next up was Dr. Lispky who brought one man. He introduced himself as Lars and was a towering, completely bald Swede who spoke English surprisingly well.<br>"What do you bring to my ship? Are you an anarchist like the good doctor?"  
>"I'm not political."<br>"Have you ever worked on a submarine before?"  
>"No but I used to work at CTV in Karlskrona so I'm experienced with torpedoes of most kinds."<br>"Central Torpedo Works? I'm impressed. You'll be doing most of the torpedo work along with the Doctor, including preparing tubes and modifying warheads according to his instructions. It'll be hard work and generous pay but you knew that already."  
>"It beats being bored, unemployed and broke ashore."<br>"Good reason enough. Andreas, show the man the sub."  
>Edward Lipsky hadn't brought anyone at all and looked somewhat concerned.<br>"Ed, what's with the long face?"  
>"It is serious. Seriously. The man I need to work my engine is not in Europe."<br>"Don't tell me he's in Asia."  
>"No, no! He is in USA. Seriously so."<br>"How can someone be seriously in USA?"  
>"Chain-gang seriously."<br>"Ah, yeah, that is serious. And you won't have anyone else?"  
>"Not possible. New Jersey-Lenny is the only man I trust with my engine. He is not as good as I am, seriously, but he is on the same frequency."<br>Ron sighed and pushed his fingers through his unruly blond hair.  
>"USA it is, then."<br>"Is that so bad?" Wade asked. "Because if we're going to the US I was kind of hoping for a chance to see my mom."  
>"It's not so much USA being bad, no. It's the port we have to use."<br>"We won't be going to New Orleans?"  
>"No, we're coming from the north this time so we have to use a port in Massachusetts."<br>"New England? How bad can it be?"  
>"Oh you'd be surprised." Ron looked disgusted at the prospect, a demeanour he shared with Felix and Edward.<br>"What's the name of the place then?"  
>"Innsmouth."<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

**Fire Across China**

The rail road service in the Ansu province wasn't flawless at the best of times and in the winter it was downright unreliable. The train crawled along the track as the engineer peered into the whirling snows ahead trying to spot any obstacles in advance. The stoker tossed another shovel of coal into the furnace.

"Stop the train."

Both men looked at each other in confusion. The voice had been female, heavily accented and it had come from behind them. They turned around as one and saw her standing on the tender, sabre in hand and red hair whipping in the winter wind.

When they didn't move she leaped from the pile of coals and landed before them. With a smooth move she raised the point of the sabre to rest at the throat of the stoker.

"Stop the train." She commanded anew.

The engineer hurried to obey this time and brought the train to a halt.

The woman's grim visage changed into a beautiful smile.

"Please and thank you!"

She flipped backwards, once up on top of the tender and once again to disappear between the rail road cars. A small tremor could be felt, indicating she had disconnected the wagons from the engine. She peeked up over the edge of the tender.

"All done! You can go now!"

The engineer and the stoker did not waste a single moment putting as much distance as possible between them and the woman. They had seen mounted shapes emerge like ghosts out of the blizzard and they carried the banner of the Fire Princess.

The Mad Dogs had arrived.

Where WWEE and Global Justice shipping had suffered dearly at the hands of Captain Stoppable, the mines owned by Global Justice in western and central China were intact and provided a steady flow of income for GJ and Mrs. Betty Director. Things would change during the winter of 1921-1922.

Despite her honest intent and best effort to journey to Shanghai Kim found herself incapable of resisting any chance to disrupt the business of Mrs. Director. She also would let herself be distracted by the plight of the common people. Sometimes she would lead her Mad Dogs to destroy bandits harassing the locals. At other times she would simply rob the stores of a local warlord and distribute the food among the peasants from whom the grain and rice had been levied in the first place.

"_I shouldn't be doing this. I should be riding hard for the coast. Why is it impossible for me to say no to people in need? Why does vengeance tempt me so much?"_ She thought. _"Damn you countess for knowing me too well! I must have a cause. I must have something to fight for, must I __not? Well so be it! I'd rather be a princess of a thousand empty causes than being like you, drunk on destruction without goal or purpose!"_

New Year saw the Fire Princess ruin the mining operations in westernmost Shaanxi, stealing the money from the local GJ main office and distributing parts of it among the workers.

By the end of January the marauder coalition known as the Five Bandit Princes were crushed, almost offhandedly, by the slowly dwindling numbers of the Mad Dogs as they moved eastwards. As the end of February neared The Fire Princess had turned her attentions to GJ holdings in the vicinity of Xi'an. Trains were ambushed, Global Justice administrators were held for ransom and indentured workers liberated. Something had to be done. Mrs. Director contacted the local Zhili warlord and pressured him with threats of cessation of funding unless he diverted some assets to the destruction of the Mad Dogs and their so-called princess.

In March 1922 Colonel Du and his armoured train waited for the signal from a supply train.

The plan was simple. Send a Global Justice train loaded with supplies with a symbolic amount of guards and wait for The Fire Princess to ambush it. Colonel Du would then move up along a parallel track, shell the Mad Dogs from the safety of the armoured cars and then send the accompanying troops to mop up the remains.

The signal came.

"Incoming!"

Kim's warning shout caused Mad Dogs to scatter or throw themselves to the ground. Around them the earth erupted into cascades as heavy shells rained down upon them. The barrage rolled expertly up and down the line and Kim had jumped into a crater for protection. Peeking over the edge she tried to see where the fire was coming from. Across a shallow, wooded valley smoke from a train engine and firing guns rose from behind a row of trees.

The din of battle was tremendous. Over the shrieks of injured horses, the cries of dying men and the thunder of explosions, Kim shouted to gather her warriors around her.

"Mad Dogs! To me!" She jumped out of the shell hole in defiance of the flying shrapnel and falling shells. Waving her sabre in a circle above her head she hurried down into the valley below, hoping at least some of her men were alive to follow her.

"Colonel! It seems the bandits are fleeing into the valley, just as you predicted!"

Colonel Du smirked. Amateurs could never withstand a professional such as him.

"Send the men out to round them up and shoot them like the mad dogs they claim to be."

Soon a long chain of soldiers made their way down into the valley, rifles and carbines ready.

"_In less than a day I will be promoted to general. All it took was the killing of a rabble of Mongolian bandits and their ridiculous princess."_

Immensely pleased with himself he lit a cigarette and sat back, waiting for his soldiers to return.

On the floor of the valley, Kim looked at her remaining Mad Dogs.

"Four left, five counting me."

It was true. Only four men had made it out of the bombardment and one of them was mortally wounded.

"Oh, my brave, brave warriors!" Kim moaned, close to tears. "I am so sorry for leading you into this disaster!"

The wounded man staggered to his feet.

"Do not apologize, my Princess. We Mad Dogs owe you everything, for even though I am dying I hold my head up high. I can finally meet my ancestors with dignity."

The other three men voiced their agreement and Kim choked back her tears and smiled proudly at the remainder of the men whom she had come to look upon as her kin and family.

"I hear the enemy approaching. We must act.".

"Give me three revolvers and I will distract them." The wounded man said, his blood stained lips parting in a martial smile . "Do not worry, my friends, I will not be taken alive."

"You will be avenged."

Kim and the remaining three hurried away to evade the approaching line of soldiers. At first they thought they could not avoid detection but suddenly the sounds of gunfire erupted to their left where their wounded comrade lay. The soldiers hurried towards the noise, leaving a gap in the line for Kim and her men to slip through.

Kim counted seventeen shots, then there was a pause before the eighteenth shot rang out.

"_You will be avenged."_

Colonel Du waited with growing impatience for his men to return when he heard gunfire nearby. It actually sounded as if it was coming from inside the train itself. How could that be?

"What is going on out there?" he shouted to his aide as he drew his own pistol. He opened the door expecting to see his aide ready to provide him with the requested answer. He found himself facing what looked like a demon.

Her long, Mongolian overcoat was singed by flames, riddled with bullet holes and stained with blood. Her dusty boots stepped over the twitching corpse of Colonel Du's aide and in her hand was a Russian cavalry sabre, ready to strike.

The colonel tried to make his arm obey him, to raise his pistol and shoot her, but the demonic eye painted on the patch and the furious fire in the green, living eye of the woman held him transfixed.

"Congratulations Colonel, you have destroyed the Mad Dogs. Now you shall be destroyed as well."

He backed away, into his office, desperately stalling for time, for the return of his soldiers.

"My men will soon return! Don't be a fool, surrender while I still may let you live!"

"Whether I live or die is not your choice to make." She lunged and the tip sabre went cleanly through Colonel Du's left lung. Coughing and dropping his pistol from the pain he clawed at the air for support that wasn't there.

"If you survive, lap dog, tell your owner I will be coming for her one day."

The Fire Princess left the colonel on the floor, his blood staining the precious carpet under him.

When the soldiers returned they found no trace of her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Innsmouth.**

"Do you see anything?"

"Nothing so far, Captain."

Ron and Felix stood on the platform scanning the coastal waters of Massachusetts.

"There it is. I could have sworn it was further to the north last time we were here, you know."

"It's been a while, we must have come in from a different angle this time." Felix sounded like a man who wanted to rationalize away something he'd rather not think about as_ Kimberly Ann's Revenge _carefully made her way past Devil's Reef.

Unlike other friendly ports no one came to greet the pirate submarine as approached the pier in Innsmouth harbour and the crew had to moor her themselves.

The town itself had seen better days and every single building in sight showed signs of decay. Even the lovely New England spring breeze could not wipe away the reek of entropy and putrefaction that pervaded the town in general and the harbour in particular.

From the tangle of chimney-pots on the sagging roofs scarcely a wisp of smoke came.

"What is this place?" Wade said and the other newcomers of the crew seemed to think the same as they looked around.

"This is Innsmouth." Ron said grimly as he opened his holster to make sure his side arm was easily accessible. "Andrew, you're coming with me. Felix, you're in charge while I'm gone."

With the Polish scientist in tow, Ron set out to find the man in charge. Here and there they would see people going about their business in a listless and oddly indifferent manner. They barely even bothered to throw the obvious newcomers a second glance which was odd behaviour in itself. The citizens of Innsmouth were of the worst and most degenerate kind that only the oldest New England communities could spawn. Thankfully such specimens of subhumanity were rare these days. Despite this, they suited Captain Stoppable's purpose well enough. The old harbour was big enough, remote enough and the locals corrupt enough to allow for longer stays without any interference from the federal authorities.

"I wish we could avoid this place."

"Blame your cousin, Dr. L. He's the one who wanted to go to USA."

"You don't wish to return to your country then, Captain?"

"Maybe one day, when I have nothing else left. Nothing left to do I mean."

They walked in silence for a while, the oppressive atmosphere robbing them of any desire for conversation. When they reached city hall they found the doors locked. Ron pounded heavily on the still stout oak timbers.

"Oh, don't bother, Captain Stoppable." The croaking voice behind them sounded amused at Ron's efforts.

Turning around, Ron and Lipsky found themselves face to face with the Mayor of Innsmouth.

"Mayor Gilbert." Ron raised his hand to the bill of his cap rather than offer it to shake.

To his disgust the mayor reached out instead and Ron was forced to take it out of politeness.

"Oh, no need to be so formal, Captain. Call me Gill." The man laughed as if he was sharing a private joke with Ron who could barely suppress a shudder. He always felt filthy even in the mere presence of the mayor. There were many wrong and sickening details about the his appearance and manners. The overly large eyes were set too far apart, the mouth too wide, the lips too thin and wet and the shape of Mayor Gilbert's skull had a repugnant piscine quality to it. The oddly croaking voice and the slouching, even shambling manner in which he carried himself hinted at deformities of an unsavory kind under the fancy but poorly maintained suit the mayor wore.

"So what can I do for you, Captain?" Gill said after shaking hands, pretending not to notice how Ron wiped his hand on his jacket.

"I could use some help unloading some of my cargo, provide me whatever diesel you have and someone to give some of my men a ride to Arkham."

"Not a problem. Old Mrs Whateley has got a horse and a cart. She'll be happy to give them lift for a modest amount of dollars. We only have a mere three or four hundred gallons of diesel left, I'm sad to say. We didn't expect you back so soon." Once again the croaking, gurgling laugh. "So what precious cargo do you bring to my lovely town this time?"

To Ron's absolute disgust the mayor put his long arm around Ron's shoulders as they walked towards the harbour.

"Whisky, straight out of Scotland. I figured I could get a good price for it these days, what with prohibition and all?"

"I like the way you think, Captain."

Gill shouted at some of his ragged citizens who stopped whatever they were doing and followed Ron, Dr. Lipsky and the mayor to the waterfront.

The illegal liquor was soon unloaded and Ron found himself paid in heavy gold by the mayor.

"These are...what? Spanish dubloons?"

"Who knows? Who cares? Gold is gold."

"Where did you get it from, if I may ask?"

"Oh, you know, we're simple, hard working fish..er...fishermen. We get all kinds of things in our nets and the sea is a generous provider." The mayor brushed Ron's question away.

Ron looked out over the harbour. _Kimberly Ann's Revenge_ was the only ship in the crumbling port. Not a single fishing boat could be seen.

It would take a while for Edward and Wade to make the trip south and back so Ron and the rest of the crew settled in to wait. Unlike other ports, Innsmouth offered no pleasures or lodgings ashore. At least not of any kind the men on _Kimberly Ann's Revenge_ wanted to sample.

Even Rufus felt the effects of the place and the otherwise lively mole rat was unusually docile.

By night the dreams were of a disturbing kind and occasionally they would imagine they heard thumps on the hull as if someone had knocked on the steel from the outside.

After more than a week of the unwholesome waiting had passed there was a commotion. The roar of a powerful engine echoed through the streets and alleys and a police care bearing the insignia of New Jersey state police came to a screeching halt at the docks.

Dementz, who was on guard duty was about to call out a warning when he saw Wade, Edward and a third person in prison garb jump out of the car and come running towards to the submarine.

"Start the engine! Seriously!" Edward shouted. "We will have company soon!"

They climbed down the hatch as the powerful engine turned over and _Kimberly Ann's Revenge_ began backing out of port.

"What's going on? Who is this?" Ron demanded.

"This is New Jersey-Lenny. Seriously, it is. See the hoagie?"

The man in prison uniform was even shorter than Dementz but of a more portly if powerful build. He sported sideburns and was indeed calmly eating a large sandwich.

"Pleased to meet you, Captain." the man said between bites.

A few clangs against the plates of the conning tower told Ron they were under small arms fire.

"Who is shooting at us?"

"Oh, probably the cops. They were seriously upset when I borrowed their car."

"He sprung a criminal from a chain gang and stole a cope car!" Wade interrupted. "And that's not all!"

"Dementz how soon before we can dive? We need to get out of here before someone calls the air force or the navy." Ron called over his shoulder.

"We must just pass ze reef and zen ve are clear."

Ron was not entirely pleased with the hurried and utterly indiscreet departure.

"You've got some explaining to do."

"I got my friend and I got you a great mechanic. What more is there to tell? Seriously?"

"How about I tell them about the train ride?" Wade growled.

"What about it?"

"He insisted on riding in the same carriage as me and then he almost got us thrown off when he wanted to fight the ticket collector over the matter. To make it worse he made it more than clear that we're friends! I had to be associated with a crazy white guy!"

Ron coughed.

"I can see how that was embarrassing, Wade."

"This is seriously crazy!" Edward held up his hands defensively. "White and black can't travel together? I thought this was the land of the seriously free?"

"It's how it's done!" Ron and Wade said in chorus.

"Jinx, you owe me a bourbon!" Wade quipped in order to avoid misfortune.

Edward kept muttering and grumbling about how "America needs more freedom." until Ron told him to be quiet and bring Lenny over for an interview.

The man was indeed a mechanic and after having proven his skills with some minor tasks Ron nodded, reasonably pleased.

"OK, welcome to the _Kimberly Ann's Revenge_, Lenny. The rules are simple: You do as I say, as Lt. Renton says and as Edward says, in that order. If you do you get your share of what we scrape together."

"You got it, Captain. Beats prison any day."

"Good. Felix, show Lenny to his hammock. I'm having a word with Edward."

Edward looked as if he was about to start off a tirade but Ron beat him to it.

"OK, Eddie. your guy looks _kosher_. Good job." He slapped the hulking Pole on the shoulder in appreciation.

Expecting a further reprimand rather than praise, Edward was caught off guard.

"I don't want to say 'told you so' to my Captain but..." He shrugged sheepishly.

"Yeah, yeah. But, listen you got Wade pretty upset so go have a talk with him and next time, try to listen to someone who actually knows how the USA works, OK?"

"OK, Captain, seriously." He walked off to have the talk with the radio operator.

"Now, let's get out of this rank place. Dementz?"

"Aye, _Kapi_...Captain?"

"Take us north, full speed ahead."


	14. Chapter 14

**Return to the Pacific**

Rather than spend the better part of the year heading south and enter the Pacific Ocean through the Tierra del Fuego, Ron had opted for the more uncomfortable but less trafficked and faster North West Passage through Arctic waters.  
>As the submarine approached Bering's Straight the weather grew increasingly worse.<br>Currents and winds collided around the narrow gap that separated Asia from America making the passage hazardous for any vessel that didn't travel ten fathoms below the surface.  
>In June 1922 <em>Kimberly Ann's Revenge<em> entered the Pacific Ocean again.  
>To Ron's mind the accompanying summer storm was a fitting herald to his arrival.<p>

"One, two, three... isn't that a beautiful sight?"

"What's that, Captain?" Felix said as he stood by the controls while Ron was peering through the periscope.  
>"Looks like we've got ourselves a little convoy."<br>Indeed, a small group of WWEE ships were making their way through the East China Sea where Ron was on the prowl a few weeks later.  
>On a hunch he spun the scope around and suddenly cursed loudly.<br>"What now, Captain?"  
>"Destroyers, Felix, four of them. Japanese navy, I saw the <em>Kuma.<em> She's a good ship, I've met her before."  
>Dementz and Felix looked at each other.<br>"You're not going to fight ze destroyers, are you, _Herr Kapitän_?"  
>"No. I'm not that mad."<br>Felix and Demenz let out slightly premature sighs of relief.  
>"Not yet."<br>"So what do we do, Captain?"  
>"We play 'follow the convoy' and look for opportunities, Felix."<br>Hours passed. Four hours became eight and twelve hours. The Japanese destroyers made no sign of leaving the vicinity of the convoy and frustration was rising on the pirate submarine.  
>"Mercy's sakes, won't they ever leave?" Lenny griped. He had yet to acquire the patience submariners had to possess.<br>"Captain, I think we must let this one go."  
>Ron was silent for a long time, then he smiled.<br>"Oh no." Felix groaned. "What now?"  
>"You'll see. I've got a little something that will knock them down to size. You go get some sleep, while I have a chat with the Lipskys."<br>Felix found himself roused a few hours later by Ron.  
>"I figured you'd want to see this." He whistled to the tune of <em>Toccata and Fugue in D Minor <em>as he ushered Felix to the periscope. "Tell me what you see, Felix."  
>Felix looked through the periscope. He saw lights, lots of them. It took him a few moments to realize what he was looking at.<br>"That's Shanghai! We're in Shanghai harbour! Ron what the hell are you going to do?"  
>Ron merely replied by calling out.<br>"Torpedo bay, fire tube one."  
>"Tube one away." came Dr. Lipsky's reply.<br>Through the scope Felix watched with baited breath. He winced as the Shanghai night was lit up by an explosion. The torpedo had hit one of the WWEE ships midship and it begun to tilt almost immediately.  
>Ron worked the controls, adjusting the facing of the submarine.<br>Another torpedo was launched and a second ship began to sink.  
>The operation was repeated a third time with the same result.<br>Felix stood entranced, watching the destructive show with horrified elation only to be shaken out of his reverie by Ron crying out triumphantly.  
>"And the award for the first submarine attack in Shanghai harbour goes to <em>Kimberly Ann's Revenge!<em> Booyah!"  
>He turned around and shouted:<br>"Engine room, full reverse! Get us out of here, Edward!"  
>As the submarine withdrew from the scene of the crime Felix faced Ron.<br>"I'm not sure if you're crazy or a genius!"  
>"Maybe I'm both?" Ron grinned like a fox in a chicken coop.<br>"I don't know where you get these damned ideas but you pulled it off, you magnificent bastard!" Felix laughed and slapped his friend and captain on the back. But when he spoke again, Felix's voice was deadly serious. "Ron, if they didn't want our heads before, then they do now."

* * *

><p>The daring attack made headlines all over Asia and the effects could be felt all the way to the United States of America where Sheldon Gemini of the WWEE threw a fit of rage so intense his servants feared for his sanity and health.<br>It was only after a considerable time and several glasses of bourbon that he managed to calm down enough to put is mind to the task of solving the problem.  
>He thought long and hard, throughout the night. It wouldn't be enough just to sink that pirate. In order to satisfy the twisted mind of the industrialist it had to be a solution with a certain flair. Something that would make it personal.<br>Early in the morning he had made up his mind.  
>It was time to pay senator Rockwaller a visit.<p>

* * *

><p>"What are you doing behind my desk, Gemini?"<br>"It was the best seat in your office, senator. Sit down. We have business to talk about."  
>"What do you mean?"<br>"Simple, senator, I want you to do me a favour. Hold this little speech and press for the mission described in it." He handed some papers over. "Oh, and I need this particular ship and captain . It's not negotiable, senator Rockwaller."  
>"Who do you think you are? I am a senator of the United States! You can't order me around just like that!"<br>The burly, bearded man tossed an envelope to the senator.  
>"Shut up and take a look at these."<br>He opened it and looked at the photographs inside, his face turning increasingly red.  
>"This...what is this? This is outrageous!"<br>"Yes. Yes it is, isn't it? Your darling daughter seems to be quite friendly with that girl, what's her name? Ah yes, Tara. It would be a shame if these photos ended up in the wrong hands don't you think?"  
>"This is blackmail!"<br>"No, no! I'm just keeping the negatives safe for you, my friend the senator. But if you don't want to be my friend any more..."  
>Mr. Gemini reached out, as if to retrieve the pictures. The senator pulled them out of reach.<br>"Fine, you win. I'll hold that speech." Senator Rockwaller crossed his arms across his chest and looked more like a petulant child than a statesman.  
>"I knew you would come to your senses. You are resourceful man, senator. When the mission is completed I'm sure you will find it a perfect opportunity to increase your standing in the eyes of the public."<p>

Senator Rockwaller held the speech as promised. It was well written and he was a skilled orator. He painted the endeavours of the renegade Captain stoppable in the darkest of colours and proclaimed him an enemy of free trade and, by extension, an enemy of freedom and civilization.  
>It hit all the right notes with all the right people and when he presented Mr. Gemini's plan as his own it was readily accepted by his fellow senators and the president himself.<p>

Despite his resentment towards Mr. Gemini's methods, senator Rockwaller was quite pleased with himself when he found himself a rising star in the Senate.  
>Two weeks later <em>USS Middleton<em> left San Francisco with Captain Josh Mankey in command.


	15. Chapter 15

**A Princess in Shanghai**

The hot summer night lay wrapped like a straitjacket around Shanghai. The fans in the lobby of Astor House Hotel struggled valiantly to bring some relief from the oppressive heat.  
>It was well past midnight and the night clerk was settling in for an uneventful shift. This was disrupted by the sight and smell of a filthy vagabond standing by the counter, slamming a dirty hand on the pristine little bell.<br>Long, matted hair hung down, partially obscuring an equally unwashed face. The rank smell of an unwashed body and clothes surrounded her. What looked like a pair of saddle bags, hung over an oddly curved thing wrapped in sack cloth over one shoulder.  
>"Get out of here, you filthy..." the clerk began but went quiet when the woman by the counter placed a heavy Mauser pistol before her.<br>"Wrong pocket." she mumbled. Her hand went down again and a big wad of bills joined the pistol.  
>She shoved the bills in the direction of the clerk. US and Chinese dollars, British pounds, Japanese yen and some Soviet rubles conspired to rob the clerk of any desire to expel the dirty woman.<br>"I want a suite with a bath and I want room service standing by to get me a meal. First thing tomorrow morning I want breakfast delivered to my room along with all major newspapers. After that I want a tailor or a seamstress, a hairdresser and a manicurist."  
>At long last she raised her one-eyed gaze, looking straight into the eyes of the clerk as she idly picked the pistol up and pointed it, almost by accident at him.<br>"And most important of all: No questions asked."  
>"I...I understand, Madame!" He clapped his hands to summon a sleepy bell hop. "Show Madame to suite 66! Hurry up!"<br>"Good man." Kim possible said with a smirk. "As long as we have an understanding we will be great friends, don't you agree?" She put the pistol back in the coat pocket and gave the clerk a large dollar bill.  
>His fear pushed aside by greed the underpaid clerk smiled broadly.<br>"We shall surely be the best of friends, Madame!"  
>He bowed as the Fire Princess followed the bell hop to her suite.<p>

Once in her suite Kim ordered Room Service to take her old clothes away and burn them. Her boots had been worn through a long time ago and the last weeks she had been bare foot as she had walked the last stretch to Shanghai. It was just her now. The last of her Mad Dogs had fallen when they defended a group of refugees from bandits. The journey from Shaanxi had taken many months and was made even slower as local wars erupted time and time again in the fragile Chinese republic. It was only at the very end of summer that Kim Possible had entered a Shanghai during a heat wave pregnant with impending thunder.  
>She stepped slowly into the freshly drawn bath, hissing slightly at the pleasant sting of hot, perfumed water against her tired body.<br>There were new scars and new wounds, physical and emotional, that had yet to heal fully but she was alive. She had finally made it back to the civilized world and her life had meaning again. Ron was out there somewhere, waiting to be found by her.  
>She allowed herself the luxury of daydreaming of their reunion as the washed herself in a real bathtub for the first time in years. No more cold rivers or scrubbing with snow. Just warmth and perfume. The bath was followed up with a long, equally pleasant shower. She took the time to wash her long hair thoroughly.<br>Kim wolfed down the meal brought up by room service in a most unladylike manner while her hair dried.  
>Brushing the hair was quite a pain since it had become severely tangled during the long periods of bad treatment. Eventually it shone with it's proper, red lustre and it was with some satisfaction she could look herself in the mirror again.<br>"_It's funny how I started to care about my looks the moment I came into the city."_ She mused. "_And since I found out Ron was alive."_  
>"I'm such a girl." Kim's giggle came as a surprise to her. She got into the big soft bed, utterly enjoying the touch of clean linens against her naked skin. She had barely closed her eye before she was fast asleep.<p>

"Room service!"  
>Kim tossed the covers to the side and only just remembered to put the bath robe on. She had lived so long outside the conventions of the civilized world that she almost went to the door in the nude. While she had breakfast Kim did some reading up on the world from the newspapers.<br>She learned about how Ron had sunk three WWEE ships no more than a mile away from her in Shanghai harbour, less than a month ago. Kim felt frustrated at missing Ron by such a small margin but also a certain, twisted pride over how his daring exploits made headlines in international news papers.  
>"<em>Ron, you dangerous fool! No wonder I fell in love with you! I guess I'll have to catch you before our enemies do."<em>  
>Her thoughts were interrupted by yet another knock on the door to her suite.<br>"Madame, _m__onsieur_ Coco is here."  
>"Coco who?"<br>A bearded, almost impossibly elegant dandy pushed past the maid.  
>"It is I! Coco! <em>Le premiere<em> fashion designer in all of Shanghai. _Non_, the world!"  
>Kim found herself in the midst of a minor tornado of French arrogance, artistic dynamism, narcissistic monologues and undeniable skill as <em>m<em>_onsieur_ Coco proceeded to design an entire wardrobe from scratch for her.  
>"By tomorrow you shall look like a woman again!" the flamboyant man promised .<br>"You are saying I don't look like a woman now?" Kim found herself irked at the comment.  
>"You carry yourself like a man. Your body is that of a <em>cavalier<em>."  
>"A cavalry man?" She looked down at herself. Despite, and partially because of the scars Kim was proud of her lean, powerful body. To her own mind she was in almost perfect physical shape. "I guess I can see where that comes from."<br>"Don't worry! Coco will not destroy your unique nature. A lesser _artiste_ would shy away from the challenge, but not Coco! You will be a true testament to Coco's superiority!"  
>With that the lively Frenchman swept out, leaving a slightly dazed Kim to gather her wits before the hair dresser and manicurist arrived.<br>Spending quite a while just getting pampered soon began affecting Kim's restless nature and it was with some relief the hairdresser and her colleague left the fidgety young woman to her own devices.  
>"I should be out there and do some serious Ron-hunting." she griped to herself.<br>She paced back and forth in the suite like a caged tigress.  
>Cooped up with nothing to she realized how powerful her need for action and mobility had become. To be able to cope with the inactivity she unwrapped her sabre. Slowly she went through all the moves and stances, one after the other for a long time.<br>"_I don't have to think about it any more. Fighting has become a part of me, of what and who I am." _She closed her eye and went through the motions again while moving about the room, navigating by memory alone. Not once did she stumble or miss a stroke.

The sky over Shanghai was the colour of dark lead. Clouds bloated with rain and thunder gathered over the Asian metropolis but did not show any willingness to release the expected rainstorm just yet.  
>Kim waited impatiently for <em>monsieur<em> Coco to arrive with her new wardrobe which he did only until after lunch time. By now Kim was at the end of her already limited patience. To her surprise it turned out it was well worth the wait.  
>The French tailor had gone to great lengths to create clothes that could be worn comfortably in most situations yet made moving and fighting easy.<br>A short, dark green jacket inspired by a military cut but clearly made to accentuate a woman's curves. Comfortable, loose fitting trousers in matching colour with easily applied puttee carried in discreet bundles and a white blouse completed the ensemble.  
>"Ah, ah! Don't forget!" <em>monsieur<em> Coco said as he handed her a shoulder holster in dark leather, tailored to fit her large Mauser. It was barely noticeable under the jacket.  
>"<em>He's sharper than he looks! He noticed my gun among my stuff."<em> Kim was forced to concede.  
>"Now, move around, if you please, Madame."<br>Kim did as requested. First she took a few steps , then followed up with faster moves and martial stances. She finished up by jumping over a chair and flipping over the delighted _monsieur_ Coco, landing lightly on her feet.  
>"Some finishing touches. That patch, it is not proper for nice company. Try this on."<br>He handed her an eye patch from black silk, adorned with a red velvet rose.  
>"Isn't it a bit...frilly?" she flicked a finger at the lacy rose.<br>"It is feminine! It contrasts nicely with your dangerous demeanour." He waved impatiently at her as if annoyed at even having to explain something so obvious.  
>For footwear she was presented with a pair of light, high laced boots.<br>"Ah, _bon_! Madame is pleased?"  
>"Madame is very pleased. Take what you consider fair payment."<br>Kim poured some of the contents of her saddle bags on the table.  
>The Frenchman didn't quite manage to hide his surprise at her unorthodox method of payment. Judging from what she saw, Kim decided he didn't overcharge her too badly.<br>Once the tailor had left Kim stepped out onto the balcony.  
>At first the air stood still, thick and stagnant. Then suddenly a waft of cool wind swept through the streets of Shanghai. Just before the first raindrops fell, a resounding peal of thunder rolled over the metropolis.<br>Kim looked up to let her hair fly in the wind and to catch the raindrops on her face.  
>"<em>Soon, my love. Soon I will find you and I will never let you go again."<em>  
>The Fire Princess smiled as the thunderstorm broke out if full, magnificent force.<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

**Burma**

The dinghy made it's way up one of the countless waterways of the Irrawaddy delta. Some months after the audacious raid in Shanghai harbour Ron had finally made contact with Lord Fiske and they had agreed to link up in Burma where the British Lord apparently felt most at home these days.  
>They had left <em>Kimberly Ann's Revenge<em> in the capable hands of Wade, Edward, Dementz and his Germans. Moored a few miles up a lesser tributary in the delta she was virtually undetectable from both sea and the air.  
>"I can't see what's so bloody marvellous about Burma." Felix muttered, wiping sweat and mosquitoes from his face. "If we don't catch malaria now it'll be a miracle."<br>Lars stood at the prow, a rifle in his hands, on the lookout for any dangers. Suddenly he clicked his tongue to alert the others.  
>Up ahead the <em>Amy Hall <em>lay at anchor in the deep river by some sort of temple. Ashore and around the buildings men in black garb were busy with all manner of activity. Fiske's Burmese friends seemed to be far more plentiful than Ron had first imagined.  
>"Ahoy, over there!" Ron stood up and shouted.<br>There was some commotion but after a few moments they were waved to closer and got off the dinghy.  
>"Rather simian, don't you think?" Felix said, taking in the magnificent sculptures of the temple as they gathered on the little dock.<br>"Indeed it is! A monkey temple if you like, Lieutenant Renton!"  
>The cultured voice belonged to none other than Lord Fiske who'd apparently heard Felix's comment. Like his henchmen, he was dressed in loose fitting black clothes.<br>"I'm ever so sorry to have kept you waiting, Captain Stoppable." He smiled and shook hands with Ron. "But you see, I was so fascinated by this find that I was swept up by the thrill of discovery and couldn't let it go. I know you'll forgive me my absence, Captain, because you understand what it is like to be possessed by an idea, a grand dream if you like."  
>"What is it, exactly?" Ron asked as they wandered inside the temple where the air was a bit cooler. He wanted to steer the conversation away from obsessions in general and his own in particular.<br>"Oh, it's an almost intact temple dedicated to a little known South east Asian monkey deity known as the Yono."  
>"Just let me know the next time you embark on something like this, will you, Fiske? I don't like going raiding without a supply ship. It feels like walking with just one boot on."<br>"Don't worry, Captain. You see something has come up that will allow me to dedicate myself fully to the study of this amazing temple and all that it entails."  
>Ron frowned. Something was seriously wrong but before he could say anything someone else did.<br>"Captain Ronald Stoppable, I hereby arrest you in the name of the British Crown. Raise your hands where I can see them!"  
>A Lieutenant in British uniform along with a squad of colonial soldiers stepped out of the shadows in the temple.<br>"Damn you, Fiske! What is this?"  
>"I'm sorry, Captain, but our companionship must end here. You see when I found this place and I was offered a Royal Pardon in return for your delivery to the British authorities I knew fate was knocking on the door."<p>

On the dock Dr. Lipsky, Lars and Felix noticed the Burmese men suddenly closing in around them, knives and axes in their hands.  
>Felix's eyes narrowed when he realized what was going on.<br>"Its' a trap!" he shouted as he yanked his Webley out of the holster and dropped one of the Burmese men with a single shot.  
>Lipsky gave a startled cry and hit the deck as Felix and Lars opened fire.<br>Inside the temple the sound of gunfire made everyone look that way. It was all Ron needed. He turned and sprinted towards his friends while he pulled his Colt out, popping a few rounds off behind him to force the soldiers to take cover.  
>"Disciples, Attack!" he heard Fiske shout.<br>Ron found himself fighting to get through a throng of black garbed men. He dropped some of them with a few shots but then he had to dodge and parry for his life. The Burmese men closed in for hand to hand combat and only Ron's skills as a brawler saved him from being knocked out.  
>"Captain! Duck!" Dr. Lipsky shouted over the din.<br>Ron didn't hesitate for a moment and threw himself flat on the ground.  
>Andreas Lipsky was no fighting man and was terrified of physical violence but he was a man enamoured to the invention of destructive devices. Seeing his Captain surrounded by a small mob of martial artists he pulled his latest creation out of the pocket and lobbed it in a high trajectory.<br>His calculations were immaculate. Just as Dr. Lipsky had predicted, Ron was just outside the active radius of the tiny Tesla grenade. Fiske's disciples were standing up and not as lucky as Ron.  
>The device activated just above the fighting men and sent arcs of white lightning connecting with human flesh. It caused spasms of agony to course through their bodies. The martial artists and thugs fell, twitching as the electric detonation ebbed out. The very moment after, Ron leaped to his feet and was running towards his friends.<br>Felix was already stepping back into the dinghy along with Lipsky. Lars made an opening for Ron to get through by swinging his rifle like a club, slamming the butt in the face of a Burmese sailor.  
>"Ron! Look out!" Felix called as he frantically reloaded his revolver.<br>Behind him Ron heard the reports of rifles as the British soldiers emerged from the temple, guns blazing.  
>He felt something hit him hard on his right thigh.<br>"_That's strange. I figured it would hurt more." _he thought as his leg gave way and he fell headlong into the dinghy.  
>A moment later Lars had joined them in the boat. Dr. Lipsky gunned the little engine, trying to get them to safety.<p>

At first they thought the had made it but it a few moments later they heard the noise of engines as two more boats came hurrying after them. One held British soldiers and the other was packed with Fiske's disciples. Soon rifle rounds were buzzing about them like angry hornets.  
>By now Ron was feeling the pain from the wound of his leg and groaned as he jammed a fresh magazine into his Colt and returned fire. Lars and Felix did the same, firing over the head of Lipsky causing the Polish scientist to wince and whimper in fear.<br>Dr. Lipsky decided he was not going to die in a dismal delta in Burma and tugged hard at the tiller, sending the boat up a small canal at a speed that would have impressed his blond cousin, sending the pursuers racing past.  
>Felix and Lars managed to avoid falling off the boat just barely. While their pursuers lost some time to turn around they examined their injured captain.<br>"I'm OK. Just get me a tourniquet so I don't bleed to death." Ron said through clenched teeth.  
>While Lipsky sent the boat weaving and dodging through the delta Felix tied Ron's belt around the injured leg. Lars took up position as lookout. The tall Swede had sharp eyes and they managed to evade the pursuers again and again as the Asian evening deepened around them.<br>The night turned into a harrowing game of hide and seek as the Burmese and British boats searched for them. The glare of the searchlights reflecting in the eyes of the hundreds of crocodiles that came out to hunt in the darkness.  
>As morning came Ron and his men had finally evaded their enemies. They were also hopelessly lost and out of petrol.<br>They were reduced to using stakes to push themselves along. At the insistence of the others Ron took the tiller despite his assurances that he could stand up reasonably well.  
>As the days passed Ron's wound got infected and he became feverish.<br>"I wish we had some of Killigan's whisky." he said with a weak smile.  
>"Ron, this is bad. We need to get you to a hospital and soon."<br>"They'll just arrest me. I can't have that." Ron shook his head, trying to clear it. "I've got so much to do."  
>"What do you have to do that is worth dying for?" Felix snapped.<br>"I...I've got nothing." Ron replied and promptly passed out.

By sheer luck the men on the boat found themselves eventually entering the town of Pyapon by the river. They were down to their last pieces of rations and Ron's health was rapidly deteriorating, regaining consciousness only for brief moments to drink some water.  
>Dr. Lipsky and Lars carried him between them as they made their way into town, looking for a doctor.<br>As they rounded a corner they were hailed by a police officer who seemed to recognize the unconscious man between the blue skinned Pole and the big Swede.  
>The policeman felt confident the ragged bunch of men would be no trouble bringing in and he foolishly approached them. He was promptly rewarded by an uppercut to the jaw by Felix.<br>Leaving the knocked out law man behind they pushed through some filthy alleyways and ended up by the river where Felix saw something that made him smile for the first time in days.  
>"Wait here." he told Lipsky and Lars. "I think I found our ride."<p>

On the river a Vickers Vandal lay moored, rolling gently in the current. Standing by the seaplane was Felix's old commander from 266th.  
>"I say! Hello Jimmy!" Felix called and made his way towards the man by the plane.<br>"Felix? What are you doing here?" The slender man smiled and reached out to shake hands. "And walking no less! I though you lost your legs?"  
>"Well, I did. You know me, can't keep me down for long." He patted his leg, producing a wooden sound. "Look, I know this an awful time to bring this up, Jimmy, old boy, but I don't really have the time for talking now. I need your plane."<br>"Well, hop in then. I'll just get Algy and we'll give you a ride. You're not in some kind of trouble, are you?" Major James Bigglesworth eyed his former flight mate warily.  
>"That's no good, Jimmy. Don't make it harder for me than it is." Felix pulled his Webley out and vaguely pointed it in the direction of the other man.<br>"Felix, what are you doing? Why don't you just let me fly you and your friends to wherever you want to go?"  
>"No can do, Jimmy. You wouldn't like my kind of crowd I'm afraid. You'd feel obligated to drop us off in Rangoon or Singapore for the police to lock us all up. Now, be a good lad and go for a stroll while I borrow your plane."<br>The other man straightened up and clenched his fists, actually considering taking on the armed Felix.  
>"Please, Jimmy, just walk away!" Felix pleaded. "You know I wouldn't do this if I didn't have to!"<br>With a frown and an oath, the Major threw up his hands in frustrated surrender.  
>"You win, Felix but don't expect me to forget this."<br>"Awfully sorry we had to meet again like this, Jimmy."  
>"Me too." He began to walk away. "Oh, and Felix?"<br>"Yes?"  
>"She pulls a bit to the left. Just so you know."<br>"Frightfully good of you, Jimmy. I owe you a plane and a couple of drinks."  
>"Just get out of here before I change my mind, will you?"<p>

As Major Bigglesworth walked off, Felix waved to the others to come over while he cut the moorings..  
>"Can you fly this thing? I mean without..." Dr. Lipsky pointed to Felix's legs.<br>"Time to find out, eh? Get the Captain inside and let's go."  
>While the others tried to make the unconscious Ron as comfortable possible, Felix pushed the starter. The engines fired right away and with a relieved smile Felix made the seaplane take off a few moments later.<br>At first things seemed to go their way for an hour or so as the Vickers Vandal flew over the Irrawaddy Delta. Felix's pilot's instincts suddenly warned him. They were being followed. He peered around and sure enough, a pair of fighters were doing their best to catch up.  
>When the knocked out policeman woke up he had run off to his commanding officer reporting of the incident. After some asking around, they found out about the departed flying boat and promptly alerted the local RAF fighter squadron. Soon their Sopwith Snipes were in the air to seek out the renegades.<br>Felix tried sacrificing altitude to keep the fighters from overtaking the lumbering Vandal but he knew it would be to no avail in the long run.  
>A sound like heavy rain falling on a tin roof and a tremor through the aircraft told him they were within firing range as bullets stitched a row of holes in one of the wings.<br>"Fokkers you're not." Felix snarled and forced the Vandal in a sharp dive. "I'll be damned if I'm going to be shot down by my own countrymen!"  
>He heard Lipsky calling out, asking what was going on.<br>"Just hold on tight." Felix shouted over his shoulder.  
>He sent the Vandal roaring down along a stretch of river with the Snipes in hot pursuit.<br>Felix laughed out loud, feeling more alive than he had in years. He was finally a fighting pilot again. Thrilled at the contest of wits at the highest of stakes he teased the fighters to come closer.  
>"<em>That's it, chaps. I'm an easy target. Come and get me."<em>  
>"Felix, what are you doing?" Lipsky shouted behind him. "They are fighters and this is a cargo plane!"<br>"Haha, yes! Exciting isn't it? I'm going to lose them both in just a moment."  
>"How?"<br>"You'll see, but If I pass out we're all dead so I suggest you all write your wills!" Felix's happy laughter did nothing to calm the terrified Pole.  
>He yanked the Vickers Vandal into a tight turn causing the heavy hull to groan like an injured animal as it banked to the left and rose at the same time.<br>Felix vision darkened as the pull of the too sharp turn forced the blood from his head but he did not pass out. With no legs for the blood to escape to Felix gamble to stay conscious had paid off.  
>Behind and below, the fighter pilots were taken by surprise. One turned to follow but got his rudder clipped by the propeller of the trailing fighter which ended up in the river.<br>As the damaged Snipe struggled to maintain control Felix straightened up the Vandal and hurried back down the river to meet up with _Kimberly Ann's Revenge. _One way or the other he had to find a way to get Ron to a doctor.

Ron was trapped in a landscape of nightmares. He was running down seemingly endless, red-lit, corridors, calling out for Kim to rescue him. A jumble of friends and enemies were present in surreal and bewildering forms. Lord Fiske came after him in the shape of a grotesque semi-simian monstrosity out to steal some undefined 'power' from him. Dr. Lipsky, commanding vast legions of devils made of metal, laid waste to the world before Ron's eyes. Rufus was there, actually speaking distorted versions of human words. He tried to push the feverish nightmares away by his own power, sometimes imagining he was enshrouded in blue flames, fighting green skinned giants or statues of apes brought to unnatural life. At other times he was in Kim's arms again, rescued by the love of his life only to be torn away from her embrace to be confronted by new horrors.  
>Suddenly, through the dreams, he felt the cool touch of alcohol against his skin and the sting of a needle. The fulsome, velvet embrace of morphine finally drove all the fear and pain away and he knew only darkness.<p>

"Ron? Ron, man?"  
>"Felix? Wh...where am I? What happened?"<br>"Don't worry. You're safe."  
>Ron looked around. Even that small effort made his head spin. We was in a hospital bed. On a ship. A hospital ship. Felix sat on a chair next to the bed, for once unshaven.<br>"You got hit, remember? You got an infection and we had to get you to a hospital somehow."  
>"Where are we? I mean, were are the others?"<br>"Dementz and Wade are keeping the radio room under watch. The Lipsky's are on the sub. The krauts are keeping an eye on the crew aboard this ship."  
>"What ship?"<br>"_Dei Gratia_ out of Mazatlan. She belongs to the _Asociación Humanista._"  
>"Making friends all over the world." Ron laughed weakly.<br>"Eh...yes, quite. I think I made one enemy at least."  
>"Felix, what have you done now? You look like Wade did after the ride with Edward."<br>"I might have waved a gun in the face of the head nurse." Felix was mortified at having to admit to such ungentlemanly behaviour.  
>"Why did you do that for?"<br>"I don't speak Spanish and she was getting in my face when we carried you on board. I might have lost my temper a little bit there, don't you know?"  
>"Yes, I can see how that might have upset her. Did you at least apologize?"<br>"I tried but she doesn't speak English. I guess the thought I was insulting here even more."  
>The conversation was interrupted when a beautiful Latin woman in a nurse's uniform entered the room. She gave Felix an icy stare, pointed to the door and simply said:<br>"_Salir._"  
>"She told you to get out." Ron translated.<br>"I got that, thank you very much." Felix got out under the cold glare of the Mexican nurse.  
>Once Felix had left the room the nurse turned to Ron.<br>"The bullet has been removed and we have dealt with the infection. You are still very weak from blood loss and you must rest yourself and your leg. Do you understand?"  
>"Yes, I see. Thank you nurse..." He looked at her name tag. "Nurse Flores. If I may ask a few questions?"<br>"Yes."  
>"How long have I been here?"<br>"Three days. You were unconscious until today."  
>"Would you give my thanks to all the people on this ship?"<br>"I will, although no thanks are needed when duty is performed. Even when concerning pirates."  
>Ron coughed, embarrassed at the little jab.<br>"Yes. Well, my thanks anyway."  
>"Any more questions? Because if not I would very much like you and your men off this ship."<br>"Just a few more. Please bear with me, nurse Flores. I thought you didn't speak English?"  
>"Of course I do. I am an educated woman. I also speak Latin, French and German."<br>"But why didn't you say so when Lieutenant Renton talked to you?"  
>"He was rude to me. He is very loyal to you, but he insulted me with that pistol." She tossed her head proudly in a sudden display of fierce Mexican temper.<br>"I understood that he tried to apologize."  
>"Yes he did. I have decided not to accept his apology just yet."<br>Ron slowly got out of bed and got dressed, assisted by the Mexican nurse. She handed him a crutch.  
>"You must use this as much as possible until your leg is healed. Rest a lot and make sure you keep the wound clean. In a week or two you should see a doctor and have the stitches removes."<br>"Thank you very much, once again."  
>"Yes, yes. Now please leave."<br>Ron limped towards the door as the nurse gathered the sheets from the bed.  
>"Oh, Captain? One more thing."<br>Ron half turned and saw the Mexican woman smile slightly.  
>"Tell your lieutenant that if he wants to apologize to me, he should bring flowers and not a pistol the next time we meet."<br>Ron blinked, puzzled.  
>"Uh, yes, I'll tell him that. But how will he find you?"<br>She shrugged, still with the smile on her lips.  
>"If he is a real man he will figure out a way."<br>Ron went out to his waiting men. He was sure he heard the nurse laugh to herself just before he closed the door behind him.  
>"Let's leave, men. I think we've overstayed our welcome here."<br>Ron needed help to get down to the _Kimberly Ann's Revenge _and even that short trip was exhausting.  
>He sat down, feeding Rufus a piece of cheese. The little creature had scampered up on his knee and squeaked pitifully for a treat as soon as he'd spotted Ron sitting there.<br>Felix joined them once the submarine was on her way, distancing herself from the _Dei Gratia_.  
>"So, did she demand that you have me executed?" he remarked dryly.<br>"I don't think you'll have to worry about that, Felix. She asked me to give you some advice though."  
>While Ron told his friend what the lovely Miss Flores had said, the Asian sunset turned the ocean around the submarine the colours of gold, blood and red roses.<p> 


	17. Chapter 17

**Train Ride To Macao**

Kim Possible had spent what felt like endless weeks scouring newspaper archives and bribing officials to get access to police and navy reports. She was trying to figure out where and when Ron would show up next. No detailed pattern seemed to emerge beyond the fact that he would make a circuit around the globe again and again. What paths he used and where he selected his next place to strike eluded her.  
>The dreary work of going through piles of paper was in direct opposition to her nature but her innate stubbornness made her keep up the work.<br>Kim had taken a break and was sitting in a park near the hotel.  
>"Agh! How do you find a man who travels all over the world?" she said out loud to no one in particular, venting her frustration.<br>The faint rustle of a newspaper being folded made her realize there was someone sitting next to her. It startled her because she hadn't noticed anyone join her on the bench.  
>"There are several ways to find such a man."<br>Kim looked at the man who spoke. He was a fairly young man, wearing a white suit of a loose cut and a matching fedora.  
>"Excuse me, but do I know you?" Kim asked, sounding a little more hostile than she had intended.<br>"I apologize, Miss. I did not mean to intrude." The man spoke English with a distinct Japanese accent. "My name is Hirotaka."  
>"How do you do, Mr. Hirotaka."<br>"How do you do, Miss Possible."  
>That put her on alert and her hand moved slowly to a position where she could easily draw her pistol.<br>"How do you know my name?" Her green eye narrowed dangerously but the Japanese man seemed unperturbed.  
>"It is my job to know as much as possible of important things and people here in Shanghai. I promise you I bear you no ill will."<br>"Prove it."  
>"I will indeed. First by answering your first question and then by giving you a warning."<br>Kim was torn between taking drastic action and hearing the man out. Years of fighting and evading enemies urged her to act, but in the end curiosity won over her violent instincts.  
>"Go on."<br>Hirotaka smiled confidently. Kim had to admit he was a very handsome man and under different circumstances she might have felt attracted to him.  
>"To find a man who is on the move you should look where he does not seem to be. That can tell you at least as much as where he has been."<br>This sounded far to vague for Kim's tastes.  
>"You'd have to do better than that, Mr. Hirotaka."<br>"Perhaps I can. Do you know this man well?"  
>"Better than anyone else in the entire world."<br>Hirotaka smiled almost imperceptibly at Kim's claim, almost as if he was disputing her claim.  
>"Then it should be even easier to figure out where he will be. Every man has needs. If you know these needs, you will also know where he must go to satisfy them."<br>"Needs? What needs?"  
>"You should know this, since you know this man and what he does."<br>Kim thought about this for a moment. Maybe there was something to what this man said?  
>"And the warning?"<br>"You know you have powerful enemies, Miss Possible."  
>"I might have upset a few people here and there."<br>"But you might not know that even as we speak these enemies are conspiring to have you assassinated here in Shanghai."  
>"Hm. I should have thought of that." She sighed. "I should have known better than to feel safe for a few weeks."<br>"Have I proved my good will enough for you to let me live?" Hirotaka's smile was so calm and confident that Kim for a moment actually entertained the idea that she might not be able to defeat him easily. She quickly dismissed the notion. After all, she was the Fire Princess, was she not?  
>"You have certainly given me enough to think about. I apologize for my previous, curt tone, Mr. Hirotaka. I think I'd better leave now." She got up and prepared to walk back to the hotel.<br>"Apology accepted, Miss Possible. I wish you good luck."

Kim returned to the hotel in a strange mood. On one hand the Japanese man's warning had left her wary and suspicious on the other his advice on how to find Ron had given her a lot to think about.  
>For the remainder of the day she sat by the desk in her room going through her notes over and over.<br>"_Where he doesn't seem to be? Maybe there is something to it." _She compared sea lanes where Ron had attacked GJ and WWEE shipping to the ones used mainly by other shipping lines. No attacks had ever been reported in Portuguese national waters. Perhaps that was a clue?  
>"<em>What does he need? A submarine needs fuel and spare parts, the crew needs food and lodgings while ashore. All that costs money so he needs some place to sell his contraband. For that he needs a large bank that doesn't care too much about the origin of the money."<em>  
>It was well past midnight when the pattern of Ron's lack of raids became faintly visible to Kim. If Mr. Hirotaka's theory was correct, everything pointed to The South China Sea.<br>But what ports were there that would accept a pirate submarine? Most of the Chinese ones were too small. Da Nang would be big enough but the French were among the governments out to catch Ron. Hong Kong was right out. That pretty much left one major port in the region that made sense: Macao.

The morning after, Kim checked out and headed straight for the rail road station.  
>This was the first time since 1917 that Kim had actually spent any significant time on a train and even though the compartment was nice and comfortable she felt uneasy. Memories of sudden fire, her reaching out for Ron but feeling his hand slip away from hers, screams of fear and the pain of her missing right eye kept flaring up despite her efforts to push the images and emotions aside. She changed her eye patch to the one presented to her by her beloved Mad Dogs. Sometimes she liked to imagine the demonic eye painted on it actually helped her sense approaching danger and it made her feel a little bit safer.<br>Whether it was because of the purported mystical qualities of her eye patch or merely her own sharp senses, Kim realized she was not alone in the compartment any more. She had dozed off for less than a minute and that had apparently been enough for the intruder.  
>Leaned over her was a man holding a knife poised to slit her throat. Kim's reaction was as fast as it was instinctive. One hand lashed out, shoving the blade to the side while she shoved her knee into the chest of the man. Before the assailant could react Kim had kicked out with her other foot, hitting the man's leg to get him out of balance. Grabbing his cheap suit Kim yanked as hard as she could while she raised her knee.<br>With a crash of shattered glass and a wail of fear the would-be assassin was thrown out of the window.  
>From the corridor outside two of his companions looked in and saw the red headed woman fully awake and their guy gone. They raised their pistols and opened fire. With almost impossible speed Kim ducked under the hail of bullets, lunged towards the door and slammed it shut.<br>There was a moment of silence. The hitmen in the corridor called to their lookouts at the both ends of the carriage to keep any other passengers in their compartments. They braced themselves and kicked the thin door open, ready to go in guns blazing.  
>The compartment was empty.<br>After a cautious search of the premises it dawned on the hired killers that their prey must have escaped somehow. They looked at each other and then up at the ceiling.  
>The moment the door slammed shut Kim had jumped back, climbed out the window and up on the roof of the carriage. Adrenaline coursed through her veins and she felt no fear whatsoever, only the intoxicating thrill of death-defying action. She hurried towards the front of the carriage and the very moment the men in her compartment called to their compatriots that their target was coming over the roof she jumped down on the man at the forward platform. Both boots connected heavily with his head. The assassin dropped like a rock and didn't get up again.<br>At the other end of the carriage the hitman on guard shouted out a warning to his friends inside Kim's compartment but as he raised his gun his aim was blocked by other passengers looking out to see what all the commotion was about.  
>While he and the remaining two brandished their guns and made the passengers retreat back to their compartments Kim acted.<br>Nimble as a cat she dodged around a fellow passenger. As she pushed the man back into his compartment she raised her own pistol and fired. The first of the assassins caught the bullet square in the chest and was dead before he hit the ground. His compatriot decided to take the fight to Kim and pounced. He grabbed Kim's wrist pushing her gun away from him. Kim did the same with his. Her petite frame held surprising power but her opponent's size and strength gave him an advantage that would tip the scales in his favour. He called over his shoulder for the man at the far end of the carriage to shoot Kim while he had her pinned. Kim knew she had to time her move exactly. Although her missing eye was on the side towards the man aiming his gun at her and she couldn't possibly see him it was as if she could imagine every detail of what was going to happen. It was if it was already a memory. Half a breath later she flung herself as hard as she could to the left, pulling her opponent with her so that his body got between her and the gunman the very moment he emptied his revolver down the corridor. His colleague took all the hits and Kim felt the man go limp as life left him. She yanked her wrist free of his dying grasp and stood up straight, looking the last assassin in the eye.  
>The man froze in the middle of reloading his gun. Confused he watched his would-be victim holster her pistol. Slowly Kim raised her hand and pointed at him with a predatory smile. She had marked her prey.<br>He panicked, spun around and fled from the deadly redhead. He ran through car after car, upsetting passengers and officials alike as he shoved them aside. Finally he came to the last car. He looked over his shoulder and saw no sign of his pursuer. The hitman knew Kim was probably coming over the roof. Smiling to himself he reloaded his revolver. That trick might have worked once but not twice in a row.  
>Carefully he stepped out onto the landing, a wary eye and his gun pointing upwards.<br>The attack came from the side.  
>Kim had indeed run over the roof of the train when she on an impulse decided to take a more difficult route. She had jumped down the side of the car and clung to the lower edges of the windows. Kim swung herself from edge to edge like a monkey swinging from branch to branch.<br>"_Poor manicurist. All her work in vain." _Kim thought and a smirk graced her lips.  
>She jumped up on the landing and delivered a drop kick at the man with the gun almost sending him flying off the train. He dropped his revolver and made a desperate grab for the railing and hung suspended mere inches over the ground that rushed past below.<br>"Please! Don't kill me!" he gasped as he held on to the railing for his life.  
>Kim picked up the dropped revolver and pointed it casually at the man.<br>"I'll give you a chance to get out of this alive."  
>"Yes! Anything!"<br>"Tell me who sent you."  
>"I don't know! Please let me get up!"<br>"No, no. Just hang in there. Don't lie to me." She cocked the revolver.  
>"I swear, I don't know! My boss, you shot him back there! He's the one who knew! We got paid in dollars! American dollars!"<br>Kim looked the assassin in the eye for what seemed like an eternity to the man.  
>"I believe you. American dollars make sense. Now, let go."<br>"But...you said you wouldn't kill me!"  
>"I said I'd give you a chance to get out of this alive. So let go and if you're lucky and know how to fall you will survive. Or you could hang on and..."<br>She raised the revolver and aimed it between the eyes of the hitman.  
>He let go.<br>"Please and thank you." Kim tossed the man's gun off the train and walked back to her compartment past frightened passengers and outraged staff.  
>"<em>So it's assassins this time, Betty? I really should pay you a visit one of these days."<em>  
>To her annoyance the police got aboard in Nanchang and delayed her journey with lengthy interrogations. Only after the three dead men still on board had been properly identified as hardened and wanted criminals was Kim cleared of any suspicions.<p>

With a three day delay Kim got off the train in Qianshan.  
>Just a few miles down the road lay Macao, the one port where she could possibly hope to find Ron or at least clues to his whereabouts.<br>More precious time was lost as Kim tried to get the Portuguese officials at the border to let her pass without proper papers. Only after several days of petitioning and nagging did she finally find a man who was willing to be bribed to let her through.  
>Finally on Portuguese territory Kim hailed a cab and asked the driver to take to the best hotel closest to the waterfront.<br>Although hotels close to the port usually were of the seedier kind this was positively luxurious.  
>She approached the counter and noted that the clerk didn't seem the least concerned about her odd appearance. However, when she asked if he knew anything about an American, possibly a captain on a submarine, the man's hurried denial of any such knowledge set her on edge.<br>Kim handed the clerk a bill but he pushed it back across the counter, persisting that he didn't know anything.  
>"Is there a problem?" A deep voice said.<br>A elderly man of powerful build accompanied by a younger fellow with a strong family resemblance had come up behind Kim.  
>The younger man wore the uniform of a major in the colonial forces of Portugal.<br>"Yes, _Senhor_." the clerk said. "The young lady makes inquiries."  
>"I'll take care of it, Diego."<br>"Yes, _Senhor_."  
>"So, young lady, you ask questions?" the older man smiled and politely offered Kim his arm. She declined to take it. "Why don't we go sit over there and talk things over, yes?"<br>He chuckled like a friendly uncle but there was an undertone of danger in the soft sound.  
>"Junior, go tell the bar to bring us some refreshments."<br>"But father, you should call me Major! My uniform demands respect!" The younger man objected.  
>"Yes, yes, Major Junior, now go."<br>When the young man had left the older man turned back to Kim.  
>"Welcome to my hotel, young lady. My name is <em>Senhor<em> Senior, owner and manager. Now, what kind of inquiries did you present Diego that demanded my attention?"  
>Kim looked around. She couldn't see any other people in the immediate vicinity.<br>"I'm looking for Captain Stoppable." she said in a hushed voice.  
>"I have heard of the man. A dangerous pirate, no less. What leads you to think he would come to Macao, much less my humble hotel?"<br>"He would come to Macao because there are few other ports he could use for his purposes. To this hotel because...well, because it was the best hotel, closest to the harbour."  
>Mister Senior nodded.<br>"Tell me, even if I, for the sake of the argument of course, knew where to find this Captain Stoppable, why should I tell you? Discretion is an important part of my reputation and to draw the ire of a dread pirate could be hazardous to my health."  
>"Because..." Kim stopped. "No. You have no reason at all." She hung her head.<br>"Now, now. Don't be sad." He patted her hand. "See? Here comes my son with some refreshments."  
>The major sat down uninvited and the waiter that had followed him placed drinks before all three of them before taking his leave.<br>"I do not believe we have been properly introduced, Father." The young man said, looking petulant.  
>"Indeed we have not. I beg your forgiveness, This is my son. I call him Junior and so may you, Miss...?"<br>Kim sipped her drink before she decided to simply tell the truth.  
>"Possible. Kimberly Possible."<br>At the mention of her name Mr. Senior raised an eyebrow. His son didn't react at all but busied himself with admiring his own reflection in one of the mirrors on the wall behind Kim.  
>"Miss Possible, you say. I should have known. That does indeed change the situation quite dramatically. The years have left their marks on you." He hinted at her eye patch. "You look quite different on the photo Captain Stoppable keeps in his wallet."<br>"You've met Ron? You've seen him?" Kim almost shouted, forgetting to consider how Mr. Senior had known what was in Ron's wallet.  
>"Indeed I have. He checked out less than an hour ago."<br>"Where did he go? Oh please tell me!" Kim pleaded.  
>"If you are lucky, Miss Possible, he is still in port."<br>"Set me up for a room and take care of my luggage! Please and thank you!" Kim shouted as she leaped up from her chair and ran as she had never run before towards the harbour.  
>"<em>Please, please, let him be there! Don't let me be too late!"<em>


	18. Chapter 18

**Duel**

Captain Stoppable had finished the last haggling with his contacts in Macao. _Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ had been in port for three days after returning from the misadventures in Burma. En route the pirate sub had caught and plundered a few WWEE freighters. Lack of a supply ship had left Ron with taking on only the ships he knew had the most valuable cargo and had forced him to let several of his potential prey slip between his fingers. He had been on edge since Lord Fiske's betrayal and his frustration was showing. Even on board the submarine he rarely was unarmed now and he would drink more than usual when he was alone. Macao had brought no relief. Yori hadn't showed up as she usually would when he was in port. It worried him and made his suspicions flare up. It left him torn between concern for the woman he held very dear and increasing feelings of distrust towards someone he wanted to and needed to trust. The last of the black marketeers had barely disappeared in the darkness and the evening fog when he heard her voice from behind him.  
>"Hello, Ron."<br>He turned around. There she was, dressed for a journey by the looks of it. Beside her was a large wicker basket.  
>"Yori? I waited for you, I thought you show up earlier." He took a few steps towards her as she came up to him.<br>The Japanese woman noticed the cane and his limp.  
>"Oh, Ron! You've been hurt? What happened?"<br>"I got shot. Lord Fiske sold us out to the authorities, up in Burma in that monkey temple of his." He said bitterly.  
>Yori embraced him, clung to him.<br>"If you knew how happy it makes me to hear this!"  
>"You're happy I got shot?" His voice instantly took on a tone of suspicion.<br>"No, no! You misunderstand!" She looked up at him, realizing what she had said and how it had sounded.  
>"So make me understand, Yori. No games, please. Not between us." His tone changed from suspicious to tired.<br>She looked down, ashamed.  
>"I'm sorry, I just..." She took a deep breath.<br>"No games, Ron. The time is well past that. What you told me means that you were not involved in the death of certain people in Shanghai. It means that I can tell my _Sensei _that you are innocent and it means that I will not be ordered to kill you. It also means that I would not have to disobey an order for the first time in my life."  
>"Kill me? Who would order you to do that?" Ron's brown eyes looked this way and that and his hand let go of Yori, seeking the grip of his pistol.<br>"No one will order it now, Ron." She looked up at him and her smile was sad. "I work for a...a cause would be the best word. I find information and sometimes I kill. But now I must leave Macao and explain to my superiors how Lord Fiske has proven your innocence with his actions."  
>Ron felt dizzy. It was too much to take in for him.<br>"Come." He heard Yori say and in a daze he followed her.  
>"I want you to meet your daughter, Ron." Yori bent down and picked up a small bundle from the wicker basket. It was a baby, wrapped in a blanket. "Her name is Hana. Isn't she beautiful?"<br>Yori looked to Ron and for the first time since they met he sensed she was insecure, fearful of rejection.  
>"My...daughter?" He shook his head as if to clear it. "But h...how?"<br>At Ron's dumbfounded question Yori giggled. It was that youthful, almost girlish giggle that he had come to adore so much. Somehow much of the tension dissipated at the sound.  
>"Oh, Ron! You know exactly how it happened! You were there, of that I am sure!" She held the baby out to him.<br>He leaned his cane against the basked and took his daughter in his arms.  
>"Hana." Ron's voice was almost a whisper. Amazed and confused he looked down at the baby. His child. "She is lovely."<br>He looked at Yori again. Her smile was so loving and warm it was almost painful for Ron to be reminded of how much this woman loved him. It also made him feel inadequate because he could not love her back with the same intensity.  
>"You must take care of her Ron." Yori's voice was serious now. "I must leave Macao and I do not wish Hana to become a tool in our struggle, no matter how just our cause."<br>"You're leaving? No, not without our daughter and not without me!"  
>Yori's heart almost burst with joy when she heard Ron say those words but she steeled herself.<br>"No, Ron. You have your duty towards your men." She nodded towards the pier where the submarine lay moored. "You are bound by your loyalties and by your poor, vengeful heart. You cannot come with me."  
>"You're saying this only to make me go."<br>"I am saying it because it is true. We both know your heart belongs to someone else. It is what keeps you going. If your ship leaves without you, you will regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life."  
>"But what about us?"<br>"We'll always have Macao, Ron. We didn't have anything before we met but now we have Macao."  
>"Yori, I don't want to leave you! Not now, not like this!"<br>"And you never will. But I have a job to do and where I am going you cannot follow."  
>Ron could not find his voice. He just stared helplessly at the woman before him.<br>"Ron." Her hand was softer than velvet against his cheek. "You must promise me something. You must swear to never come looking for me and you must swear to take care of our child. Take care of Hana. Please Ron?"  
>To hear her beg shook Ron out of his silence.<br>"I swear, Yori." He whispered. "I swear, but please, don't ever beg. You never have to beg of me."  
>Her kiss was soft, full of love and seemed to last forever.<br>From _Kimberly Anne's Revenge _Felix shouted that they were ready to cast off.  
>Ron turned and called for them to hold on for just a moment. When he turned back, Yori had disappeared into the Macao darkness and from his life.<br>Carefully he put his daughter back in the wicker basket where she had an ample supply of whatever a baby would need and a makeshift bed.  
>He looked into the night, trying in vain to catch one last glimpse of the Japanese woman.<br>"Goodbye, Yori" he whispered.  
>It was with a strange sense of foreboding he limped back to the submarine, carrying the basket.<br>"I guess I'll have to introduce you to your new family, little Hana." He said softly to the little, sleeping girl.  
>"Here, Felix. Careful! Don't wake her up."<br>"Wake who up?" Felix began as he took the basket Ron held up to him. He he stared in confusion when he saw the baby sleeping in it.  
>"Ron, man? What...who is this?"<br>"I'll explain later. Get her below deck and let's go while we still have plenty of darkness."  
><em>Kimberly Anne's Revenge<em> made her way out of Macao and once far off shore enough Ron climbed down the ladder. The ship began to submerge even as he closed the hatch. Just before the shut the hatch he thought he heard someone call his name in the Chinese night but when he paused to listen all he heard were the familiar noises of the ship named after the love of his life. A love he still believed lost forever.  
>The submarine dove and although no one could foresee it, <em>Kimberly Anne's Revenge<em> left Macao harbour for the last time.

Kim Possible ran faster than she ever had run before. Dodging people and traffic, leaping over vending stalls and fences her feet carried her towards the harbour. Gasping for breath she ran out onto a pier only to see the conning tower of a submarine slowly descend into to the dark waters.  
>"Ron! Don't go, please! I'm here! I am right here! Come back! Ron!"<br>She screamed so loud her throat hurt and she could taste blood in her mouth.  
>It was in vain. Her frustrated wail carried across the water and resounded among the buildings but nothing she could say or do would bring her love back from the ocean.<br>She had fallen to her knees and sat for a long time looking out over the water, as if she could will Ron back into her arms again. Only after the cold and damp began to seep through her clothes and her knees began to hurt did she get back on her feet. The walk back to the hotel felt longer than her ride from Mongolia to Shanghai.  
>Mr. Senior kindly gave the dejected Kim the suite Ron would normally use.<br>"I am so sorry, we haven't had time to change the sheets. I will have the maid look to it right away."  
>"No." Kim said quietly. "Please, leave it. Just for one night."<br>"Of course, young lady." The broad shouldered man smiled and gently patted Kim on her hand. "Do not worry. Captain Stoppable always returns to my hotel. It is like his home and if you just wait I am certain he will return. We make such good business, you see, Miss Possible."  
>Kim looked up and smiled weakly.<br>"Thank you, Mr. Senior, that is very kind of you."  
>"No need to thank me, Miss Possible, I'm just an old romantic. Maybe I will some day call you Mrs. Stoppable, hmm?"<br>Kim couldn't hold back a little laugh of her own at Mr. Senior's words.  
>"I promise I'll invite you to the wedding."<br>"I expect nothing less. Now if you forgive me I must leave you and tend to my duties."  
>Kim was left alone in Ron's suite, now her suite as well.<br>She sat down on the bed, picked up a pillow and buried her face in it. Painful longing coursed through her as she smelled all his familiar scents again, for the first time in years.  
>"I'll be here for you when you return." She whispered.<p>

At sea Ron had finally managed to explain to his bemused crew why they had an infant on board. It was arranged that Hana would share Ron's minute cabin and she got a tiny hammock of her own. To Ron's surprise one of the German crewmen, a lanky fellow by the name of Heinz, could instruct the Captain on how to change a diaper and similar baby related tasks.  
>"You have kids of your own then, Heinz?"<br>"Yes, one child, _Herr Kapitän_. My little Vanessa. She lives with her mother in America now. The War got between us and we got, how do you say? Divorced."  
>"I'm sorry to hear that."<br>"Such things happen, _ja_?"  
>"Yes. Yes they do."<br>Between the tasks of parenting and commanding the submarine Ron managed to squeeze some time on with Wade and Felix, late one evening.  
>"So what do we have?"<br>"I picked up signals from a WWEE convoy. Two ships and they seem to be in a hurry." Wade handed Ron the transcripts.  
>"What's this? They're using code for the cargo."<br>"Yes, Captain, but I haven't cracked it yet."  
>"Oh, come on Wade!" Felix interrupted. "They use military code and even though I know you're a clever chap and all that, there is no way you can convince me that you can crack it."<br>"Is that a challenge, Lieutenant?"  
>Ron grinned. Wade had grown in confidence and matured during the year and a half he'd served on the submarine. The hard work on the ship saw the pudginess of youth being replaced by hard muscles on his naturally powerful frame. He was ready to defend his position and reputation against all comers.<br>"Tell you what Wade, old chap. It's more than a challenge. It's a bet! I bet you two bottles of Killigan's finest that you won't have that code cracked before the end of the week!"  
>"Done!"<br>Wade and Felix shook hands, sealing the bet.  
>Ron's second in command settled back, looking awfully smug.<br>"A safe bet, don't you think, Captain."  
>Ron raised his hands in mock rejection.<br>"Keep me out of this, Felix. I prefer gambling with far higher stakes, you know that."  
>"Blood lunatic." The Englishman's smile turned a bit grim. "Oh, I'm sorry. Captain bloody lunatic, Sir!"<br>"That's a lot better." The two friends laughed together.  
>The week went by and just as Felix was about to collect his winnings from the bet Wade slapped a paper down in front of Felix.<br>"Gold!"  
>"What? What are you talking about?"<br>"They're hauling gold from South Africa and even better: They're coming right for us!"  
>Felix had to accept that he had lost the bet and did so with slightly strained grace.<br>When Ron was informed on the nature of the cargo he was at first very eager to set out for the fattest prey of his entire career as a pirate. As the days passed his mood changed. When Felix asked what was the matter Ron was at first unwilling to say anything specific. When Dementz joined Felix in asking what was wrong, Ron gave in.  
>It was night and all three senior members of the crew were on watch while the rest slept.<br>"I don't have anything specific, guys. Just a gut feeling. Something feels off."  
>"How do you figure?"<br>"It's just that after last year in the Atlantic and what we pulled in Shanghai, there's been precious little hunting for us."  
>"I vouldn't call Fiske's betrayal somezing little. He sold you out to <em>die Engländer<em>. No, offense, _Herr Leutnant._"  
>"That's one attempt. On land. And now? A convoy with gold heading straight into waters everyone know we're in. I don't like it, not one bit. Knock it off Rufus, you're getting fat already."<br>The last part was directed at the ship's mascot who was pestering Ron for a treat.  
>"So what do we do? Do we let it slip?" Felix asked.<br>Ron's frustration was clearly visible on his face. He sighed and made up his mind.  
>"No. Not yet. Let's find the convoy and take a look at it. But we play it really cautious, just in case it is a trap. If it is the real deal we'll come off richer than we already are and if it's a trap we need to get out of there in a hurry." <p>

_Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ intercepted the convoy west of the Mergui archipelago south of Burma.  
>The weather was getting increasingly worse and Ron counted two ships with WWEE markings. The waves made any clear view through the periscope impossible. Ron's instincts warned him and he looked over his shoulder to Dementz who was standing by the deck hatch, ready to man the gun.<br>"Stay below until I say it's safe." Ron reminded the German who nodded in return.  
>Slowly, almost reluctantly the submarine broke the surface and Ron what up on the platform even before the ascent was complete. He panned the binoculars around. Further to the west the horizon was dark with rapidly approaching storm clouds. On a hunch he quickly spun around. Grey steel filled his entire field of vision and as he raised the binoculars he looked at a command bridge. It was only for the briefest of moments he saw the face of the man in the Captain's uniform but Ron knew they were all in serious trouble.<br>"_Josh Mankey! Damn you! What are you doing here?"_  
>He didn't even bother using the ladder but jumped down the hatch while shouting at the top of his voice.<br>"Dive! Dive! Dive!"  
>Even over the hiss of the water rushing into the ballast tanks and the clang of the closing hatch Ron could hear the thunderous roar of guns. Kimberly Anne's Revenge rocked considerably from the explosions but soon steadied herself as she reached the temporary safety under the surface.<br>"What's going on?" Felix called as he worked the controls.  
>"A cruiser. CL-11, it was all markings I had time to spot. Wade, CL-11 Look her up."<br>"So it was a trap after all."  
>"Even worse. It's a class mate of mine from the academy on that ship. I saw him on the bridge. He knows me as well as I know him."<br>"Bloody hell."  
>Ron ordered the submarine to turn westwards, towards open seas. He knew they had to run this time.<br>Two muted splashes could be heard through the hull and over the hum of the electric engines. Felix, the Lipskys, Lenny and Wade suddenly realized that Ron and all the Germans held their breaths and listened intently for something. Two powerful explosions followed and _Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ shook from the shock waves.  
>Ron swiftly gave new orders, sending the submarine in another direction, hoping to trick the cruiser.<p>

On the surface Captain Josh Mankey of the US Navy looked unhappily out over the ocean.  
>"Two more, adjust the trajectory by this." He handed a scrap of paper with numbers to a crewman. "Let's try to force them towards that reef so we can pin them down."<br>"Aye, Captain!"  
>"<em>Damn it, why did it have to be me? Why did it have to be you?"<em> Ron and Josh hadn't been very close but they had been friends at the naval academy and even before that as schoolchildren in Middleton. Both had been at the top of their respective classes at the academy. To use an American cruiser to try and sink a sub with an American captain just felt plain wrong.  
>But Josh Mankey was bound by oath to obey the US senate and the representatives of the people of the United States had branded Ronald Stoppable an enemy. So, with a heavy heart, Josh had taken his brand new cruiser, named after his and Ron's home town to hunt down his friend.<br>Fountains of water rose to the skies as two more charges detonated. Ron would try to dodge again.  
>"He'll try to make for open waters. Turn ninety degrees and drop a string of beads to block him off."<br>Once again the mighty cruiser let loose a barrage, this time using most of her mortars to spread a line of depth charges across the path Ron was likely to take.  
>"<em>Come on, Ron! Give up. Don't make me sink you."<em>  
>But he knew Ron wouldn't surrender. Not yet. Neither would Josh if the situation had been reversed. A skilled captain could still wriggle his way out of danger. Unless his hunters had something to alter the odds.<br>The _USS Middleton _had something like that.

"Take us around, 180 degrees!" Ron called. If Ron hurried now, Josh would hopefully assume _Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ was still trying to sneak out to the north. After the last charges had detonated, Ron knew for sure that Josh was blocking that route.  
>Suddenly a strange noise came though the water.<br>It was like a high pitched pealing of a giant bell.  
>"What was that?" He asked, first thinking the sound had come from inside the submarine itself.<br>Felix could merely shrug, looking perplexed.  
>The sound came again and this time it was followed by splashes of depth charges closer than ever before.<br>This time the hull of the submarine creaked threateningly and Ron ordered evasive action, taking his ship further to the east, attempting to escape the immediate danger.  
>Andreas Lipsky came running from the torpedo bay.<br>"They have ASDIC!" He gasped, looking up to the ceiling as if expecting to see the enemy.  
>"They have what-now?"<br>"I heard rumors of it at the end of the war. It uses sound to..."  
>He was interrupted again by the hateful sound of the sonar.<br>"They can see us?"  
>"The sound bounces off the hull and they can tell where we are and how far away!"<br>"Hold on!"  
>Once again the detonations were close and here and there water began to seep in where plates were dislocated by the pressure.<br>"CL-11, _USS Middleton._" Wade shouted from his position. "She's an _Omaha_-class light cruiser, Captain."  
>"Middleton? That's just sick and wrong! It's Gemini behind this! Now I'm sure!" Ron slammed his fist against the wall.<br>"What good does it do us now?" Felix asked, alarm in his voice.  
>"The <em>Omaha<em>-class is top-heavy. If the storm comes in and it's strong enough, it might force them to withdraw. All we have to do is dodge her a little longer."  
>Once again the bell sound of the ASDIC cut through the water and once again the explosions that followed caused the hull of <em>Kimberly Anne's Revenge<em> to creak and groan.  
>Ron looked to to his crew. He looked towards his cabin where his daughter somehow remained asleep despite the din of battle.<br>His head sank.  
>"We can't win. Blow the ballast tanks. I won't have you all killed just because I'm stubborn. I learned my lesson in the Atlantic."<br>Felix nodded solemnly and Dementz saluted his captain.  
>Surrender was not to happen, despite Ron's decision.<br>Two more explosions came and from the engine room came Edward Lipsky's cry:  
>"Hull breach!"<br>Water came rushing from the aft and to their horror everyone heard the engines go silent.  
>Like a dreadful echo of Edwards warning, Lars shouted from the torpedo bay.<br>"We're losing pressure in forward ballast tanks! We're taking in water!"  
><em>Kimberly Anne's Revenge <em>began to sink.

Captain Mankey saw an ugly splash of oil appear where the last depth charges had detonated. It was soon followed by a bubble of air that burst on the surface. The tell tale signs of a submarine with a ruptured hull.  
>"Get that sound thing going again! I want to know where she is!" He shouted over his shoulder. He somehow hoped that Ron would still be able to surface, to surrender. Maybe even escape.<br>"She's at one hundred fathoms, Sir. One hundred and fifty."  
>There was a pause.<br>"She's gone, Captain."  
>By now the storm was on top of <em>USS Middleton<em> and Josh ordered his ship away from the punishing gusts of wind.  
>He knew he'd be hailed as a hero when he returned home. Medals and commendations would he his.<br>"_Why do I feel like Judas for doing my duty?"_  
>Once back in his cabin he poured himself a large glass of Bourbon. Sadly he noted the contents of the bottle wouldn't let him drink himself senseless.<p>

Panic was spreading in the sinking submarine. Dr. Lipsky was bleeding profusely from a deep gash below his left eye. A rivet had come loose and the pressure had shot it straight at the face of the Polish scientist.  
>Edward and Lenny were shouting for help in the engine where water kept coming in through the cracks in the steel plates.<br>Through the rising panicky chatter and the almost tangible mortal terror Ron's voice could be heard. Calmly he walked among his crew, dispensing orders. Slowly he brought his frightened men under control, his voice determined and reassuring.  
>"Dementz, Heinz, get back there and help plugging those leaks. Wade, patch Lipsky up. Lars, I want a damage report on the ballast tanks. Felix, stay here and keep an eye on the depth gauge."<br>Although certainly not feeling the least calm himself, Ron knew he had to make a show of sensibility and reason. He was the Captain. He could go down with his ship, but he could never allow himself to lose control before his crew.  
>He joined Edward and the others, taking care of the most pressing problem. With a concerted effort they finally managed to patch the holes in the hull. For now. They were still sinking. Slower than before but still sinking.<br>"Two hundred fathoms. The gauge won't go further." Felix reported.  
>Suddenly there was a jarring thud followed by a screeching, scraping noise. <em>Kimberly Anne's Revenge<em> lay at a list and the faint sounds of things falling off shelves rattled through the submarine.  
>"What happened?"<br>Ron looked around, trying to figure out a reply to Lenny's question.  
>"The reef. We're sitting on a shelf on the reef. I can't think of any other explanation."<br>A groan from the hull warned them all that the danger was far from over. The submarine was far below normal maximum permitted depth and it would be a matter of time before the hull would collapse.  
>Ron kept up his calm façade.<br>"Lars, talk to me."  
>"The ballast tanks are filled with water but it seems the tanks of pressurized air have burst. No way of emptying the ballast, Captain."<br>"You just leave what's possible and what's not, to me, Lars."  
>"Aye, Captain."<br>He sloshed through the water covering the floor of the submarine over to Wade and Andreas.  
>Wade tried to stitch the wound up. He lacked all training and experience and learning as he went along. Blood flowed down Dr. Lipsky's face, staining his blue skin and dirty tank top.<br>"Damn, that hurts!" He hissed as Wade pulled at the thread, sealing the wound.  
>"Are you holding up, Lipsky?"<br>"Yes, Captain Stoppable."  
>"Good because I've got work for you. Let's go."<br>Ron and Dr. Lipsky went back to the torpedo bay.  
>"Lars says we have no pressure in for the ballast tanks. Do we have anything for the torpedo tubes?"<br>The Pole groaned in pain but checked the tanks.  
>"Yes we do."<br>"Here's what I want you to do: Hook up the tanks for the torpedoes to the system for the ballast tanks. We can use that pressure to blow the tanks."  
>Andreas nodded. "I think it can be done, but it will only be good for one try, Captain."<br>"Just do it."  
>Ron walked back to the engine room. On the way he passed Felix. The Englishman was clearly shaken by the experience and Ron had to address him twice before Felix responded.<br>"Lieutenant Renton, get a grip. Check how much air we have left."  
>"Uh... Yes...Aye, Captain."<br>"Ed, what's the word on the engine?"  
>"Seriously? I'd say the batteries are gone. Because they are. Seriously. The engine is damaged but maybe it can be fixed."<br>"Not maybe, Edward. It can be fixed."  
>"But how? Look at the engine block!" Lenny objected. "See that crack?"<br>Ron raised his hand and silenced the New Jersey man.  
>"I took Edward on board because he's the best mechanic there is. And I took you on because Edward said you were the second best mechanic there is. So either you two can fix this engine or you'll make both me and Eddie liars. And you don't want that, do you, Lenny?"<br>"No, Captain."  
>Ron leaned out the door and shouted down the corridor.<br>"Felix? How much do we have?"  
>"Six hours, Captain!"<br>Ron turned back to his mechanics.  
>"You have five hours. Not a second longer."<br>What followed were harrowing hours. The air grew more and more stale. Ron had Hana's hammock moved up into the conning tower where the air was a little bit more fresh.  
><em>Kimberly Anne's Revenge<em> would shift slightly, sending more creaks and terrifyingly organic groans through her injured hull.  
>There was little else to do but wait and talk.<br>"Why didn't they drop a few more charges and finish the job?" Ron asked. "They had us bang to rights with that ASDIC-thing."  
>Dementz rubbed his face as if the action would help him think more clearly.<br>"Maybe they lost track of us? The reef perhaps blocked the sound?"  
>"Water temperature." Dr. Lipsky came back from the torpedo bay.<br>"What?"  
>"There could be a stratum of cooler water between us and the surface. That would disrupt the sound waves. Anyway, we're hooked up. Just say the word and we blow the tanks."<br>"Good man, Lipsky. I knew I could count on you."  
>The blue-skinned Pole smiled a little through the pain.<br>"I don't complain about the lemons of life."  
>Ron ignored the misuse of the saying and merely slapped Andreas on the shoulder.<br>His head was beginning to hurt from lack of fresh air and it seemed like an eternity had passed when a dirty, exhausted Edward came out from the engine room.  
>"Captain, we've seriously done all we could."<br>"Start the diesel."  
>"Captain?"<br>"The electric engine is useless, right?"  
>"Yeah, no batteries. Seriously."<br>"So we must use the diesel. That's why I gave you only five hours. We need the last air for the engine to run."  
>Edward nodded silently. They all knew that this was their last and only hope.<br>He walked back to the engine room, almost staggering.  
>"Lenny, start her up."<br>The short man nodded in reply, took a deep breath of foul air and pulled the lever.  
>There was silence at first. Then a thump from the engine. Then another, and another. The engine coughed and sputtered but the diesel was firing.<br>"She runs!" Lenny shouted, tears of relief running down his oil smeared face.  
>"Seriously! She runs!" Edward echoed.<br>"Blow the ballast tanks! Get us up, Lars!"  
>Lars opened the valve fully and with a sharp, gurgling hiss the pressurized air forced the water from the tanks.<br>Slowly, with exhaust fumes filling the submarine, _Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ rose upwards. When they all thought they would choke on the fumes she broke surface amidst the last vestiges of the storm. All hatches were flung wide open and wonderful, delicious fresh air filled the sub again.  
>Ron carried Hana up to the platform. The seas were still rough but the rain had stopped.<br>"Not yet, Mankey! Not yet!" Ron screamed triumphantly into the wind as the crew clambered out on deck, cheering loudly at being alive despite everything. Even Rufus peeked out of Ron's coat pocket and squeaked happily.

"Zat's why you trust _der_ _Kapitän!_" Dementz roared merrily and slapped Edward on the back. "He gets us out of trouble just as sure as he gets us into it!"  
>Hana had remained calm and quiet all through the explosions, shouting and the tense hours below water. Now the loud cheers of joy frightened her and she began to cry.<br>Ron couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of her reaction.  
>"You strange little girl." He smiled and held his daughter close as he comforted her. From the hatch Felix handed Ron a glass of rum to celebrate their symbolic rebirth from the ocean. Ron raised the glass in a toast to Hana who was now cooing happily again, cradled and safe on the arm of her father.<br>"Here's looking at you, kid."


	19. Chapter 19

**The Beginning of the end.**

Weeks had passed and Kim had done her best to keep her impatience in check.  
>She had busied herself with creating a new identity for herself. The name Kimberly Possible was known in China and the connection with the Fire Princess would be easy for a determined enemy to figure out. It also gave her an excuse to go shopping for clothes, a pass time she enjoyed enough to distract her from her restlessness.<br>The more she thought about it the less she could believe her luck. She had been close before and something had gone wrong those times as well. Kim's earlier sense of impatient elation was replaced by longer and longer bouts of pessimism and doubt. So she wasn't really surprised when Mr. Senior came to visit her suite one day.  
>"Miss Possible, I'm afraid I have bad news." He began.<br>"He's gone, isn't he?" Kim sat down on the bed.  
>"I am so sorry, but it seems the US navy...well, here is the newspaper article." Mr. Senior handed her a copy of the Los Angeles Times. "It is a few days old."<br>"Thank you, Mr. Senior." She took the newspaper and then looked up to the elderly man. "I would like to be alone very much now, if you please?"  
>Mr. Senior was only happy to leave. Her dull, flat tone of voice unnerved him.<br>Kim only read parts of the article. It was full of bombastic phrases and pompous praise. It disgusted her.  
>"<em>If I had only been here a little earlier. Just a few days or even hours." <em>She lay down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling for a long time. Everything felt so hopeless. But she wouldn't have been Kim Possible if something inside her didn't rebel against the whole concept of surrendering without a fight.  
>"<em>Just a few days. Days I lost thanks to those hired killers." <em>A gleam of rising fury appeared in her eye. "_No, because of the one who sent them." _A low growl escaped her as she began to pin the blame on something tangible. Or someone. "_I'm coming for you, Betty. No more silly games. Just you and me."_  
>It was getting late and Mr. Senior was about to call it a night when he found himself face to face with a changed Kim Possible. The dejected look of surrender was gone from her face and he could almost feel a tangible aura of deadly purpose surrounding the young woman.<br>"Mr. Senior, I need a ship to the United States, preferably one where no questions are asked and I need it right now."  
>He rubbed his square jaw thoughtfully. "The ship can be arranged very easily, Miss Possible. The lack of questions will cost you. If it had been up to me it would have been free, you understand, but other men need bribes."<br>"I'll pay what it takes."  
>The Portuguese man smirked. He liked, and could relate to, the determination of this girl. He had been quite the daredevil and a dangerous man when he'd been her age.<br>"You will have your ticket tomorrow morning. The ship leaves at noon. Will that suffice, Miss Possible?"  
>"Please and thank you." <p>

The following day a young woman in a flowery dress, a wide brimmed hat and dark glasses boarded the luxury liner _O Rei de Portugal _bound for San Francisco. Except for the red hair she looked nothing like the Fire Princess her enemies were looking for. She had papers identifying her as half a dozen different women, all with names that didn't resemble Kimberly Anne Possible in the slightest.  
>Kim had opted for second class to keep a low profile at the advice of Mr. Senior. She had said her goodbyes to the well connected gentleman and even managed to smile and politely praise his son's gaudy uniform when Major Junior escorted her to the ship.<br>"_Something for all occasions." _She thought as she settled in.  
>Little did she know that while she was on her way to avenge a man the world thought dead, the submarine named after her was still out there.<br>_Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ was on the hunt for one last time.

The storm had passed and Ron and his crew made their leisurely way among the islands of South East Asia. They were in no particular hurry to go anywhere and the badly damaged sub couldn't submerge anyway. They usually travelled by night and spent the days hidden away in small coves and bays on deserted islands.  
><em>Kimberly Anne's Revenge <em>was leaking steadily and the bilge pump was in constant use to keep her afloat. The crew spend most of their time on the deck to avoid sloshing around in the ankle deep brine inside. Strong bodies tanned in the Asian sun and even Dr. Lipsky turned a darker shade of blue which was cause for a few jokes on the topic of blueberries.  
>Wade had managed to jury rig cables so he could be on deck while keeping an ear on the radio traffic.<br>One lazy afternoon Wade picked up a signal. It was distant but the quality hinted at state of the art equipment.  
>He listened in and when he realized what was being transmitted he sat up. Wade pushed the headphones against his ears. This was too important to miss. He started scribbling down the message he had intercepted.<br>Ron was dozing in the shade of the deck gun. Hana had fallen asleep on his chest, soothed by the steady heartbeat and calm breathing of her father.  
>Dementz and Germans were playing cards a few yards away and Felix had removed his prosthetics to give them some maintenance, greasing the joints and performing general service.<br>"_This isn't so bad."_ Ron thought. "_We've had a bad season. That's all."_  
>The pleasant rest was interrupted by Wade.<br>"Captain? I think you should read this."  
>"Wade, please." Ron pretended to complain. "We're not exactly fit for fight." He reached out and took the papers Wade held out. Ron's brown eyes flitted back and forth as he browsed the intercepted message. Still on his back he looked up at Wade.<br>"Mister Load, if this is a joke I'll drown you myself."  
>For a brief moment Wade almost thought he saw an eerie blue flame flaring up in the eyes of his captain. He dismissed it as the reflection of the sky.<br>"No joke, Captain. This is what I picked up. I figured you wanted to know right away."  
>"You figured right. Felix, take a look at this." He handed the papers over to the British Lieutenant.<br>"Blimey!" Felix's more refined accent slipped for a moment from the sheer surprise over what he read. "Think it's a trap, Captain?"  
>By now the rest of the crew had noticed something was going on and came over.<br>"No, we're all dead, remember? It's not a trap. I think Wade is right. This is _kosher_."  
>Ron slowly got to his feet, taking care not to wake up Hana.<br>"Listen up, people. There's been a change of plan. There's prey I just cannot slip away. It's quite far away and we'd need to take some chances getting there."  
>The crew members looked at each other and back to their captain, unsure of what to say.<br>Finally Edward spoke up.  
>"Captain, are you sure? Seriously? The engine can take it but if we pick up speed more water will be pushed in through the cracks."<br>"The pump should be able to handle that if we run it at full power."  
>The blond Pole scratched his head and looked doubtful.<br>"The rivets vill not hold."  
>"What's that Dementz?"<br>"Ve can't use the torpedoes, right?" Dementz looked to Andreas who threw up his hands in exasperated agreement.  
>"No pressure." The blue skinned anarchist confirmed.<br>"So ve must use the deck gun. The recoil, it vill snap the rivets holding ze emergency plating. Ve vill sink." Dementz did not seem to be in the mood to change his opinion on the matter.  
>"Then sink we will."<br>Ron's reply left the men speechless for quite a while.  
>Edward was the first to break the silence.<br>"Seriously?"  
>"<em>Nein! <em>Enough!" For the first time since 1918 Dementz openly defied his captain. "No. I vill not do zis, not until you explain what zis is all about!"  
>Ron sighed and nodded.<br>"Yes, you're right, Dementz. You should know why I'm doing this. It always was about revenge, not the money. Well, for me at least."  
>And so Ron told his crew what had happened that fateful night in the former Russian Empire. It took quite a while but he told them about WWEE and Global Justice and why they must have decided to betray so many people and how it had ruined Ron's life and the lives of others in the span of a few hours.<br>"And on that yacht is Sheldon Gemini on his way to personally congratulate my former class mate, Captain Mankey, on what they think is the successful sinking of this submarine. So now you know why I cannot let this opportunity pass me by." He finished.  
>The crew were silent once more.<br>"You don't have to follow me. I can't make you do that. But with or without you I must try to get at least that final shot at revenge."  
>Felix had put his prosthetic legs back on and pulled himself up to a standing position.<br>"Ron, when you picked me up in Southampton I was a few whiskys from topping myself. Count me in."  
>"Thank Felix."<br>Dementz looked embarrassed at first but then he slammed his heels together and saluted.  
>"<em>Herr Kapitän!<em> I apologize. I am with you." His German comrades followed suit.  
>"No need for apologies, Dementz. You had the right to know."<br>Edward Lipsky grinned.  
>"One last mad dash for glory? Seriously! Me and Lenny, we come with you."<br>"We do?"  
>"Seriously, we do."<br>"Wade?"  
>"Hey, I brought you the news. I'm committed, Captain."<br>Lars shrugged and gave Ron thumbs up.  
>Everyone turned to look at Dr. Lipsky.<br>"What? Of course I'm with you Captain! It's not like I've got anything better to do anyway."  
>The Polish scientist laughed heartily at his, in his own opinion, hilarious reply.<br>Ron felt his eyes water and he had to choke back a sudden lump in his throat at the display of loyalty by his crew.  
>"Here, hold Hana." Ron handed the baby over to Felix who seemed more nervous about holding a baby than the prospect of going to battle on a submarine on the verge of coming apart.<br>Ron spread the map on the deck.  
>"Look here. Gemini is probably moving up here, through these straits right? So all we have to do is go almost straight east and we'll intercept him around here."<br>"If we end up sinking we'd be far from land though." Lenny pointed out.  
>"Granted, but I don't see any better point, really."<br>Felix handed Hana over back to Ron.  
>"How about here? It's a bit further but we'd be close to that island there."<br>"Well, sure but how does that help us?"  
>"Remember the plane I, shall we say, borrowed in Burma?"<br>"What? You didn't return it?"  
>"Not exactly. I left it in that village, here on the south end of the island. I haven't gotten around to returning it yet. But, anyway. We hit the yacht there and then it's just a few hours' trip and we'll be in the air and Bob's your Uncle."<br>"Who's Bob?"  
>"Never mind, Doc."<br>Felix's plan was agreed upon and Ron set about giving orders.  
>"Listen up, people! We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there. We need to make old <em>Kimberly Anne <em>run. Heinz! Set us on an east bound course! Edward, I want all eighteen cylinders firing so you keep that diesel running, do you hear?" 

The same day that Kim Possible walked ashore in San Francisco a fancy, steam powered luxury yacht headed for Manila was spotted by Lars who stood on the platform on watch.  
>"Captain, I think we have her!"<br>Ron clambered up and joined Lars. Sure enough, the WWEE company flag and a far smaller streamer with the colours of the United States flew from the mast.  
>"I have you now." Ron laughed. "Stay on target. We wait until nightfall."<br>The crew began making their preparations, loading the ship's boat with supplies and valuables and Hana's wicker basket bed. Dementz and Dr. Lipsky tended the deck gun, making sure absolutely everything was in perfect working order.  
>"Slow down, Edward. Lenny, keep the pump at full power, let's try to lose some ballast before we hit them."<br>"Aye, Captain."  
><em>Kimberly Anne's Revenge<em> quietly slipped in behind the yacht and kept her distance. The sea wolf was ready to pounce.

Sheldon Gemini and his closest cronies had poured the first glasses of Napoleon Brandy.  
>"Gentlemen, my idiotic sister have just filed what's left of Global Justice for bankruptcy. I intend to pick the pieces up for a pittance. I have taken care of that pesky submarine that has plagued us for the last years and I have a US senator in my pocket."<br>His sycophants cheered.  
>"All we need is a major war within a decade or so and we're set for life."<br>One of Mr. Gemini's companions said that it maybe was a bit too much to hope for.  
>The bearded man grinned.<br>"Who said anything about waiting for it to happen by chance? I'll provide the war when it suits me."  
>"But how?"<br>"Fascism and communism is on the rise and already at loggerheads. Italy is already making noises to take the fight to the Soviets and that Trotsky fellow in Moscow talks about 'permanent revolution'. All I need to do is fund the proper movements in, say, France and the United Kingdom and you'll see what I mean."  
>"What of Germany?"<br>"Please! That place is in a shambles. There is no way the Krauts will play any significant role in world politics for the rest of this century!"  
>"What if USA gets sucked into a major war again? Won't we be at risk too?"<br>Mr. Gemini laughed derisively.  
>"Oh ye of little faith! I'll get senator Rockwaller to run for president. Or VP at the very least. He's a staunch isolationist, ever eager to keep us out of any foreign dangers. And the rest of the US, but that's just a side effect. Don't worry, my friends, we'll have all the safety we want and the rest of the world will reward WWEE for our services."<br>From then on the mood on the yacht soared and the men congratulated each other to their bright futures.  
>"The sky is the limit!" Sheldon Gemini said and raised his glass in a toast to himself.<p>

Ron and Dementz stood by the deck gun on _Kimberly Anne's Revenge. _Night had fallen and the brightly lit yacht was an easy target.  
>Felix and the others were aft with the life boat. Edward and Lenny had made sure, time and time again that the little outboard engine was in prime condition.<br>Hana was upset that she wasn't allowed to be with her daddy and Felix had all the trouble in the world to keep the little girl calm.  
>Just as Hana was about to start crying at the top of her lungs the thunderous roar of the 105mm Krupp gun resounded through the Asian night. The darkness was lit up by the muzzle flash and once again from the hellish glare of the shell impacting on the yacht.<br>Hana laughed and clapped her hands in delight at the noise which rendered her some odd looks from the men in the boat.  
>Over the echoes Ron's voice could be heard.<br>"Fire!" A second shell tore another hole in the fragile target.  
>Barely audible above the din the popping sound of rivets snapping could be heard and the submarine began tilting as she began to take in water.<br>"Hurry up, Captain!" Dr. Lipsky shouted. "She's going down!"  
>Despite the warning Ron fired twice more before he and Dementz came running back along the hull of the capsizing submarine.<br>By now nothing more than a little debris remained of Sheldon Gemini's yacht.  
>"<em>Good bye, Kimberly Anne." <em>Ron thought as he jumped into the life boat.  
>As they pulled away and began their journey to the waiting village Ron watched the ship that had been his home for half a decade slowly sink into her watery grave.<br>"_It's over. One way or another it is all over now."_  
>At first he felt a deep sense of sadness wash over him. Kim was still dead for all he knew. Revenge would never bring her back, just dull the pain of loss.<br>At that moment Hana managed to pull loose from Felix and hugged Ron's arm, demanding his attention.  
>Ron felt the sadness sink away as he looked at his smiling, laughing daughter.<br>"_I guess I must start a new life,again. If not for my own sake, then at least for yours."_  
>Ron Stoppable's quest for revenge was coming to it's end.<br>The journey home had begun. 


	20. Chapter 20

**Old Testament**

The plan had seemed simple at first. She was supposed to hop on a train to Virginia, seek out Mrs. Director at her home and finally settle the score.  
>Yet now Kim Possible found herself afraid to get on the train.<br>When they'd been younger, Ron had been afraid of bugs and, for some reason, monkeys. Kim had on occasion made fun of his irrational fears but now she understood how he'd felt. A cold lump of fear of something unspecified, yet horrible, settled heavily in her stomach. She shivered at the very idea of getting on a train. "_Bad things happen on trains." _A tiny voice whispered inside her head, again and again. "_Trains make you lose what you love." _No matter how hard she tried to push the fear away it wouldn't budge. It was a different type of fear. It couldn't be transformed into action like the fear of physical danger could. Nor would it allow itself to be dismissed as mere anxiety or caution.  
>In the end the fear won. Kim had to accept that she must find another way to go east.<br>She'd bought a used automobile but it had broken down in Nevada. She had walked for the better part of a day and a night before she reached the tiny village of Perfection where she'd purchased a horse, some supplies and after resting for a day she'd resumed the long journey east by the only means she felt she could trust: On horseback.  
>Kim kept to back roads or travelled cross country where possible. She had learned her lesson in China and knew better than to assume she was safe just because she was back in civilization. Only when winter came did she make a longer stops. Money wasn't really an issue but to avoid suspicion she took odd jobs here and there, always in small towns with limited communications and always under a false name. She spent the New Year 1923 in western Colorado and because she figured she could afford to particularly careful Kim took her time and didn't cross the Kansas-Missouri border until the middle of March. Spring in fertile Missouri was lovely and Kim left the state with fond memories even though the largely cultivated region had been troublesome to navigate discretely. When she reached Kentucky travel by horseback was becoming a liability as more and more people tended to travel by car and the horse was seen as an increasingly obsolete mode of transportation.<br>Kim sold her horse in Madisonville and eventually entered Virginia on foot. 

Kim could not know that in early winter the previous year, Ron and Hana Stoppable and the former crew of _Kimberly Anne's Revenge_ had already arrived in the United States. They had been 'island hopping' using the Vickers Vandal to cross the Pacific step by step and left the flying boat in Port Alice, Canada. Felix had wired Major Bigglesworth the whereabouts of the 'borrowed' aircraft. From Canada it had been a small matter of slipping into USA unnoticed.  
>While they were having dinner at a modest hotel in Olympia they talked about what they would do next.<br>"I'm zinking I will go back to Germany. Maybe resume my academic studies in Heidelberg. I vould like to be a Professor." Dementz said. His German comrades voiced similar plans except for Heinz who claimed there could be a market for quality bratwurst in America.  
>Edward Lipsky and Lenny said they'd go to Detroit.<br>"Motor City is seriously the place for Motor Ed, _nie_?"  
>Andreas Lipsky had grander plans. The anarchist was more than happy to just drift around the world, spreading the gospel of Anarchy wherever and whenever he could. And probably blow stuff up along the way.<br>"My final goal is not to rule, but to liberate the entire world." He announced proudly. "A grand and worthy scheme don't you agree?"  
>"There's nothing to it but to do it, Doc." Wade laughed. "I'll settle for going back home. Louisiana doesn't seem half as scary these days as it did two years ago." Wade grinned and winked at Edward who'd taught the younger man how to fight after that night in Macao.<br>Lars had a plan as free spirited as Dr. Lipsky's but less idealistic.  
>"I'll do what I want and I'm going to make sure I get paid to do it."<br>"What about you, Captain?" The big Swede asked. "You're still out for revenge?"  
>Ron stopped in his efforts to keep Hana from rubbing mashed potatoes all over her face for a moment.<br>"No, no more roaming for me. I have new responsibilities now." Hana proved his point by dropping her spoon and using her hands to eat. "Besides I think the naval life isn't proper for a mole rat either." The former ship's mascot was asleep in Ron's pocket after having been stuffed with scraps of food by his owner's daughter. "I'm thinking about buying a house somewhere quiet and peaceful where nothing exciting ever happens."  
>"So, Felix, going back to Europe with Dementz and the lads?"<br>The Englishman fidgeted a bit and tried to avoid the question but when pushed he finally gave in.  
>"I've been giving some things a lot of thought. Mexico seems nice, don't you think?"<br>No one but Ron understood why Felix blushed.  
>"Good luck, Felix. And remember to buy flowers this time."<br>A few days later the band of friends split up and despite claims of "something must have gotten in my eye" tears had been shed.  
>For the first time in five years Ron Stoppable could rely only on himself.<br>It was a feeling as liberating as it was intimidating.  
>"<em>Nothing to it, but to do it, Wade? I hope you're right."<em>

When the news of Sheldon Gemini's demise reached senator Rockwaller he surprised and embarrassed his beautiful daughter and the girl he knew to be her special friend by dancing an impromptu jig of joy through the entire Rockwaller mansion.  
>"Daddy! You're embarrassing be in front of my friend!" Bonnie Rockwaller complained.<br>"Haha! I'm so sorry, my little Bon-bon! Daddy just got some really good news from a friend in the Philippines! Why don't you and Tara go out and treat yourself to a really nice evening of fun?" He took out his wallet and gave the stunned girls a sizeable amount of dollars. Rather than question their fortune the girls hurried off to spend the cash, giggling with excitement.  
>Senator Rockwaller watched the two girls scurry off, holding hands. The sight sobered him up and he got on the phone.<br>First he called a man he trusted to solve problems for him.  
>"Mister Marlowe? I need you to retrieve something for me. Some negatives and all photos you can find..."<br>Once he'd made sure his reputation and that of his daughter was properly protected he had one more issue to deal with.  
>The report had revealed that Mr. Gemini's yacht had been sunk by gunfire. The wreck of a submarine, identified as the same one supposedly sunk by <em>USS Middleton<em> had been found nearby. That wasn't good. He needed to make sure that the high profile pirate hunt he had pressed for, remained a success in the public mind and the dashing Captain Mankey could be put to good political use in the future.  
>Pulling some of his many strings senator Rockwaller managed to keep the death of Sheldon Gemini out of the newspapers.<br>"Only the WWEE share holders and his family need to know. It's what he would have wanted." He told those who needed some convincing.  
>"<em>I owe you some peace and quiet, Captain Stoppable. Giving you a chance to get away is the least I can do in return for ridding me of that man."<em>  
>The senator poured himself a drink and raised it in a toast.<br>"Here's to you, Captain, wherever you are."

In the deepening gloom of the Virginian summer night Kim Possible sat on her suitcase while she waited and watched.  
>The fashionable country house of Mrs. Betty Director was inhabited by Mrs. Director only.<br>Her dwindling finances had forced Mrs. Director to lay off most of her staff and those that remained did not live on the property.  
>She had washed, put her nightgown on and was about to go to bed when she heard a woman's voice behind her.<br>"Have you read the Old Testament, Betty?"  
>The older woman spun around. At first she didn't understand who she was looking at. The clothes initially implied it was a soldier but the curves and the voice were definitely female.<br>"Who are you? What are you doing in my house?" She demanded. Outrage held fear at bay.  
>"Oh, no one that matters. Just a young girl with everything to lose six years ago."<br>The intruder stepped into Betty's bedroom and the light fell on long red hair, it reflected off blade of a long sabre in her hand and made the painted eye on the patch glare as if alive and filled with malice.  
>"K...Kimberly Possible? No! This can't be true! You are in China! You should be dead!"<br>Betty Director stumbled backwards to get away from Kim.  
>"Dead? Not for lack of trying on your part, Betty."<br>Kim's calm voice was more terrifying to her enemy than if she'd been shouting and cursing.  
>"But others have died because of you and your brother. Now, him I can't reach but you...you are just where I want you to be."<br>Kim noticed how the older woman kept glancing towards her desk over by the window.  
>"You have a gun there, don't you, Betty?"<br>The brunette didn't answer but began edging towards the desk.  
>"Tell me, Betty, do you really think you can get to the desk, open the drawer, pull out the gun and shoot me? All this before I can cross the room and cut your head off?"<br>Kim raised her Russian sabre in a mocking salute.  
>Her words filled Betty Director with fear and what remained of her confidence left her.<br>"Please! Don't kill me! I still have some money, you can have it all, just don't kill me!" She pleaded, tears of terrified desperation running down her face.  
>Kim stepped closer and pushed Betty up against the desk.<br>"Money? It's not about money, Betty."  
>"Then tell me what it is! I'll get it for you!"<br>"Life. You and your brother took a life away from me. Now, I figure it's just fair that I take a life away from you. And as I said, I can't get to your brother so it's up to you to pay the bill. Good bye, Betty."  
>"No! Wait! Listen to me! Sheldon is dead!" Betty Director reached back and grabbed at a paper on the desk. "Here! Look! He's been declared dead! See? You don't have to kill me, please, Kimberly!"<br>Kim yanked the paper out of Betty's hand. Keeping the woman at the point of her sabre, Kim stepped back was she read. It was a death certificate. Some months old too.  
>"Global Justice filed for bankruptcy and Sheldon is dead. You have had your revenge, Kimberly. You've already destroyed me." Kimberly heard Betty say. "Please?"<br>Kim lowered her sabre and Betty took a deep breath of relief.  
>Kim turned away as if to walk away when she suddenly stopped. She looked over her shoulder.<br>"You know, Betty, you didn't answer my question."  
>"What?"<br>"Have you read the Old Testament?"  
>"What kind of question is that? Do you want me to pray?" Some of Betty's confidence was returning.<br>"No. Nothing like that. It's just one little quote that stuck in my mind."  
>"W...what?"<br>"An eye for an eye."

Kim left through the front door. She wiped the sabre off on the seat of a chair on the porch.  
>She took a deep breath, filled her lungs with cool night air and walked off into the shadows.<br>Kim knew the police would come and an ambulance as well.  
>"<em>It's better than what you gave us, Betty. I'm really too kind."<em>  
>As she made her way into the Virginian wilderness she realized she didn't have anywhere to go. Nothing left to do.<br>She had her vengeance and what now? Ron wouldn't come back no matter what she did.  
>"<em>Was it all for nothing? Is vengeance that hollow?" <em>Several hours later Kim crested a ridge and looked down over a small town by a river. A little ferry lay at anchor by the landing.  
>"<em>Maybe it wasn't about vengeance at all. Maybe it was about love and justice all along?"<em>  
>That answer would have to suffice for now. She put her suitcase down and changed her clothes.<br>A while later a redhead with dark eyeglasses wearing a knee length summer dress bought a ticket up the river.  
>As she sat on the deck, basking in the summer sun it occurred to her that she hadn't seen her parents and little brothers in over half a decade.<br>"_The twins must be big boys now."_ She mused. Her mind wasn't consumed by her hunger for revenge any more and a sharp pang of guilt hit her for the first time in a long, long time.  
>"<em>Maybe I should have had the courage to let them know I was still alive?"<em>  
>Kim braced herself mentally as she made up her mind to return to Middleton.<br>"_At least I won't be taking the train."_


	21. Chapter 21

**Home is where the heart is**

James Possible looked up from his newspaper. He'd heard the front door open and close.  
>"Ann, honey? Are we expecting guests?" He got up from his chair and went to see who it was at the door.<br>He froze in his tracks. There, right before him, a big suitcase in her hand was his only daughter. The daughter he'd thought dead and gone for the last six years.  
>"Kimmie-cub?"<br>Kim put the suitcase down.  
>"<em>Say something!" <em>Her brain commanded but all she could come up with was a sheepish:  
>"I'm home now."<br>"James? Who was it? Oh my God! Kim!" Kim's mother had come over from the kitchen and like her husband could do nothing but stand and stare at the young woman with the eye patch.  
>A moment of stunned silence followed before everyone burst out in cries of joy and confused questions. The noise increased further when her brothers, Jim and Tim, came rushing from their room to see what was going on.<br>After many hugs and kisses Kim has hustled over to the dining room by her mother and father and was made to sit down.  
>Just as Kim was about to explain her long absence there was a loud knock on the door.<br>"James? Ann? Is everything all right?"  
>Mr. and Mrs. Stoppable had heard the confused shouting even from across the street. Being good neighbours they had hurried over to make sure nothing was amiss.<br>"Come in! It's Kim! She's back!"  
>Kim found herself subjected to a new round of hugs and kisses and questions. After a while Kim had to ask everyone to settle down.<br>"I'll tell you everything, I'm just a bit overwhelmed."  
>Kim sat down and told her family and Ron's parents of all that had happened since 1917. At first the words came slowly, as if she was learning how to talk to her loved ones anew but soon they came faster and faster, the words almost stumbling out over her lips as she warmed to the task.<br>She noticed vaguely that the Stoppables tried to interrupt her a few times but Kim found herself too caught up in finally having someone to share her experiences to pay them any attention.  
>Jim and Tim, eleven years old by now, sat wide-eyed and took in their sister's every word, especially when dangers and adventures came up. To them it all sounded like marvellous fun.<br>It was already evening when Kim finally came to the end of her story, or as much of it she felt she could tell. She left her last meeting with Betty Director out. It was something no one but her needed to know, she reasoned.  
>"And then, in Macao I found out, once again, that Ron had died. I'm so sorry, Mr. and Mrs Stoppable, I wish I could have gotten there just a little earlier to bring him home with me." Kim finished, tears in her eyes.<br>Mr. Stoppable looked at his wife who nodded and hurried out, across the street. It had gotten awfully quiet around the table and Kim grew worried that she had somehow offended everyone in some manner. Beyond not letting her parents know she was alive for six years, that was.  
>Mrs. Stoppable returned with an opened envelope in her hand.<br>"Here, Kimberly. Read this."  
>Kim looked at the back of the envelope and read the sender's name and address.<br>"This is from someone called Arch Stanton in Danville." She said, not understanding what it was all about.  
>"Look inside." Mr. Stoppable said.<br>A single sheet of paper was inside. Kim took it out and unfolded it. She read the three words written on the paper.  
>She read them again, her brain refusing to comprehend.<br>"Arch Stanton was my oldest uncle." Mrs. Stoppable explained. "He died in 1862, in the Civil War. My father used to tell Ronald stories about his brother all the time."  
>"But if he's dead, how could he write a letter?"<br>"Read the letter again and think about what I told you, Kimberly." Mrs. Stoppable encouraged gently.  
>"I am alive." She read out aloud. Then Kim thought about the words and how they somehow connected with what Mrs. Stoppable had said. "<em>Told Ronald about..."<em>  
>The chair she sat on tipped over as Kim stood up, leaned across the table and all but shouted:<br>"Ron is still alive! And you didn't tell me until now?"  
>"But, Kimberly, this is our way of telling you!" Mr. Stoppable said, holding up his hands defensively.<br>Kim gripped the edge of the table. Her head was spinning and the room suddenly seemed to grow darker.  
>"Mom?" She mumbled. "I think I'm going to pass out."<br>Then she did.  
>When Kim came to her senses again she lay in her own bed. She looked around. The room looked exactly like when she had left it the last time. She realized her parents had kept it that way in her memory.<br>The cool touch of a wet napkin against her forehead and her mother's worried voice brought her back from her thoughts.  
>"Are you feeling better, Kimmie? You fainted and gave us all an awful fright."<br>"I...I'm sorry, mom. It...I mean it was just too much for me."  
>"Don't apologize, dear. You're home and safe now. That's all that matters."<br>Ann Possible brushed a few strands of red hair from Kim's face.  
>"Just rest now, sweetie. It's been such a long day for you and having you back has left us all a little dazed."<br>"Yes, mom." Kim smiled. It felt so good, so wonderfully safe to lie in her own bed. To know mommy and daddy were there made every danger in the world seem tiny and so far away.  
>The last thing Kim felt before she fell asleep was her mother's kiss on her forehead.<p>

The following morning Kim woke up to the smell of breakfast and all the familiar sounds of the Possible household. She realized she'd slept all through the night fully dressed. After a hurried change to clean clothes later Kim came downstairs.  
>"Hi Kim!" The twins shouted in chorus.<br>"Good morning, Kimmie-cub. Did you sleep well?" Her father said with a smile and scooted his chair to the side to let Kim get to 'her' place at the table.  
>"I've never slept better, dad."<br>Kim didn't notice her mother throwing James a concerned glance. Ann placed a cup of hot cocoa in front of Kim who soon forgot about anything but the familiar tastes and smells of her mother's breakfast.  
>After breakfast, Ann commanded James and the twins to do the dishes despite protests from the latter.<br>She took Kim gently by the arm and lead her out to sit beside her on the the settee on the front porch.  
>"Kim, are you sure you slept well tonight?"<br>"Yes, mom, why do you ask?"  
>"It's just that I heard you talking and crying out in your sleep several times tonight."<br>"I...I didn't know that. I'm sorry if I woke you up."  
>"No, no. Don't be sorry. After all you've been through, some nightmares are expected, right?"<br>Ann patted Kim on the hand.  
>"But I don't remember any dreams, mom. Honestly."<br>"You kept calling out for Ron, as if he was in some kind of danger. Maybe you should..."  
>Kim's mother went silent, as if unwilling to go on.<br>"What? Maybe I should do what, mom?" Kim insisted.  
>"Maybe you should go see him? Ron, I mean."<p>

James had finished the last of the dishes and managed to shoo the twins out of the kitchen before they started making experiments with the gas stove. All in all he was quite pleased with himself when he found himself face to face with his wife and daughter.  
>Ann had her arm around Kim's shoulders in a gesture of support.<br>"Dad, can I borrow the automobile?"

The drive to Danville had taken several days and Kim had only stopped to refuel, get something to eat and catch some sleep.  
>The closer she got, the stronger a sense of anxiety and doubt got as well.<br>"_What if it will be like Macao all over again? What if Ron's mother was wrong?" _  
>Her mind would create all sorts of failures and disasters before her inner eye. Just when she felt as if she would lose heart or lose her mind she drove into Danville. There was no turning back now.<br>She had asked around for Arch Stanton and although her eye patch rendered her a few quizzical looks the locals were friendly and gladly helped her find her way.  
>Kim parked her father's car down the street and decided to walk the last part of the way.<br>It was already late in the evening and the darkness was falling. Lights shone from most of the windows in the houses along the street. When she reached the house she had pointed out to her by a friendly Sheriff Flagg earlier in the evening she could barely make out the name on the mailbox.  
>"A. Stanton." She read quietly to herself. Kim looked up towards the house. The lights were on and inside she saw a man walk by the window. She walked up the short path to the porch and stopped. Despite feeling like some sort of weirdo she peeked inside. Her heart almost stopped from joy. It was Ron! Her Ron was just a few yards away from her! She watched him quietly for a few moments, her heart pounding like a hammer.<br>"_He looks so tired. And he's got a limp! Oh, my poor Ron! What have they done to you?"_  
>Kim stepped back from the window.<br>She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Danville was a sleepy little lakeside town in the Tri-State Area, famous for absolutely nothing exciting at all. It was the perfect place for a man who wanted nothing but peace and quiet in his life.  
>Ron Stoppable was such a man. Here he was know as Mr. Stanton and lived with his little daughter in a small house with a large garden on the outskirts of town.<br>Ron had settled into his new life with apparent ease, on the outside at least. In reality he felt restless and often had trouble sleeping. Sometimes his leg wound gave him trouble, at other times he would lie away for hours, thinking back on what had happened and what could have been. And the feelings of loss and longing for the women he loved, if in different ways, never left him. This evening did not look like it would be any different.

Outside, the late summer night swept it's velvet darkness around the little town.

Rufus, like the sensible critter he was, was already asleep in his cage.  
>Ron had finally managed to put Hana to sleep after several bedtime stories and songs.<br>"_I swear, if I knew where she got that stubborn streak..."_ He thought in a textbook example of the pot calling the kettle black.  
>He had just sat down in his favourite chair to read when there was a soft, almost timid knock on the door.<br>"_At this hour?" _Ron had been wary of enemies and betrayal ever since Burma. He got up and moved closer to his chest of drawers where he kept his Colt.  
>"It's open." He called loud enough to be heard through the door but softly enough not to wake up Hana.<br>If it had been the police, an assassin or even Lord Fiske who'd stepped in through the door, Ron would have known what to do.  
>Now his brain stopped dead in it's tracks. Ron's mouth fell open and he had to brace himself against the chest of drawers to avoid falling over.<br>"Hello Ron." Kim's voice was very soft, almost a shy whisper.  
>Hearing her voice shook Ron out of his stunned silence.<br>"Kim? You...you're alive?" He stepped closer, his hand reaching out towards her. "You're real? Please, be real, Kim."  
>"I'm real, Ron. I'm alive and so are you."<br>Carefully, as if touching would wake them up from this wonderful dream, Ron and Kim embraced each other.  
>"Your eye..." He reached up and touched the patch.<br>Kim became self conscious.  
>"No, don't look at it." She whispered and turned her face away. "I don't want you to see how ugly it makes me."<p>

Ron cupped her chin in his hand and gently made her face him again.  
>"Nothing can make you ugly." He whispered. "Nothing."<br>"Ron...you're crying."  
>"So are you."<br>Slowly, as if it was their first time, they kissed. They clung to each other like children seeking comfort in the night.  
>For a long, long time they just stood there, kissing, holding each other close.<br>Tomorrow a new day would come.  
>Questions would be asked and answers would have to be given.<br>The future held good times and it held bad times.  
>Yet, for now, time seemed to stand still and two hearts beat as one.<p>

**The End**


	22. Chapter 22

**Afterword**

And so, my honoured readers, the story of Captain Stoppable's Revenge has come to it's end.

I know there are many questions still left unanswered.

Questions such as:

What happened to Yori and will she ever meet her daughter and the man she loves again?

Will Lord Fiske's betrayal go unpunished?

What became of the green skinned Countess of Tunguska and her airship?

What did happen that fateful night in 1917?

Exactly what were in those photos of Senator Rockwaller's beautiful daughter and her lovely friend?

Will Hana Stoppable go on grandiose adventures of her own when she grows up?

Did Felix ever find the lovely nurse Flores?

Alas I, your humble friend and narrator, have no answers to give at this point in time and space.

Perhaps one of you will get in touch with some of our heroes and heroines and tell their story?

Perhaps I will, at some later date.

And maybe some questions never will be answered.

Only the future will tell, as is the nature of such things.

I would like to thank you all for staying with me through the telling of this story and would also like you to know, how grateful I am for the kind comments and your patience with my errors in spelling and grammar.

With this, I bid you all, not _adieu_, but _au revoir_.


End file.
